Broken
by Wings Landing
Summary: One of the greatest love stories never told... this way. [CITRUS CONTENT]
1. Party Night

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam Wing or the characters. I really wish I did but sadly I do not. However, I do own my original characters. Any reference to the series, quotes, or descriptions are solely used for artistic purposes. I write fanfiction for fun, not profit. I do not make any money on this.

A very special thank you to Ninjette Twitch and Revy679 for beta reading this story. This piece of fanfiction would not be the same without your input, ladies! So from the bottom of my heart, I thank you!

**This story is RATED M for violence and citrus content.** If you don't like graphic descriptions, then please do not read this story. For those of you who do, please enjoy my version of what happens between Heero and Relena after the Eves War.

**Author's note: **This story begins in Newport City, Sanc Kingdom in the Fall of AC 197. Thoughts are in italics. Canon applies but ignores Frozen Teardrop. Happy reading!

**Broken**

"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places."  
Ernest Hemingway

**Chapter 1: Party Night**

Relena sat at her Victorian era vanity, her long golden hair woven into an elegant updo. Her maid brought over a black velvet box. She picked up a dazzling necklace and placed it around Relena's dainty neck. Relena touched the heavy piece while admiring her reflection as she watched the glimmering jewels sparkle in the light. She plucked the matching teardrop diamond and sapphire earrings from the box and put them on.

Another maid brought in a larger black velvet box gently setting it down on the right corner of the vanity. Relena lifted its lid revealing a beautiful tiara. Relena had many tiaras, but this George VI Victorian tiara was her favorite. Milliardo had gifted it to her about six months ago on her 17th birthday. It had been passed down through the generations of European royalty, one of the more notable owners being Queen Elizabeth II. The maid picked up the priceless antique tiara and ever so carefully placed it upon Relena's head. Her hair stylist adjusted her hair slightly in different positions to accommodate the ornate headpiece.

Relena shifted in her seat as she adjusted to its weight. She took a deep breath. _Heavy is the head that wears the crown, _she thought warily. _Which reminds me, I need to finish reading the report from L3. Oh, and I need to remind Chris to send a budget update about the Mars Terraformation Project._ She shook her head to clear the thoughts of work away. _I am going to have a great evening_. She smiled to herself as she pictured herself in his arms, floating across the dance floor.

The maid brought her out of her daydream, "Miss Relena, you are stunning! You are sure to capture the hearts of many tonight. If I'm so bold to say, Agent Yuy won't be able to take his eyes off you, either." Relena's head shot up, catching her maid's eyes in the mirror. Her mouth slightly agape as her reply was lost to her shock.

_Is it that obvious? Does he know how I feel?_ Her mind raced right along with her now quickened pulse. _If only I could capture his heart, even though I'll probably just end up with a broken heart.  
_  
She sighed and thanked her maids. Looking back at her reflection, she felt every bit the beautiful princess her royal bloodline declared her to be. Despite no longer bearing the Peacecraft name, as the Vice Foreign Minister, she wholeheartedly embraced the pacifist ideals of her birth country.

She rose from her cushioned settee, smoothing out her dress and taking one last glance at herself. In the three way mirror, she turned from right to left looking at herself. "Not too shabby, Relena. Not too shabby at all," she smiled to herself. Her a-line dress was a deep blue with a shimmer overlay that sparkled like the night sky. The dress was a bit more revealing and sexy than she usually wore as the Vice Foreign Minister, but she had to buy the one shoulder number that tightly hugged her in all the right places after trying it on. She had not only grown taller in the last year, but she had filled out in all the right places. She ran a hand over the hard bodice and admired her assets.

Before leaving her room, she caught a glimpse of her favorite birthday present. The teddy bear sat in front of a mountain of pillows. She chuckled to herself, remembering how she torn up the birthday card. She'd been thrilled when he'd given her a birthday present in person this year. He never ceased to amaze her. He'd rescued her yet again, this time from the terrorist group known as Eypon De Telos, then he'd taken her on magical ride in his fake Wing Zero. To top it off, he'd become the head of her security team. He had kept his promise that he made to her in the locker room on Libra. She knew he would always protect her.

Relena walked down the hall to the top of the stairs. She took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for the evening. When she finally reached the top of the stairs, she saw him.

_Heero…_

01101001 01101110 00100000 01110010 01101111 01110011 01100101

Heero looked up as the vision before him took his breath away. _Wow._

Behind him he heard a low whistle. A hand landed firmly on his left shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Wow..."

Heero agreed, "Yeah." _She's so beautiful. _

Coming to his senses, Heero snapped his head over toward his best friend, who was gaping at Relena, and smacked him on the back of his head.

"Oww, man why'd you have to go and do that?" Duo whined and scowled indignantly as he gingerly rubbed the tender spot with his fingers.

Heero barely heard him, he couldn't take his eyes off of Relena. At the moment, she appeared to be attempting to cover a giggle. Relena radiated grace and beauty, as she quickly composed herself and, like an ethereal vision in blue, floated down the stairs. Her gaze met his as she lowered her hand and smiled down at him.

Heero moved through the small crowd that had gathered at the bottom of the stairs and offered her his hand. With a tender smile, Relena accepted and Heero bent down, lightly grazing his lips across the soft skin at the top of her delicate hand.

He caught her the pink tinge that stained her cheeks as he rose, loving the effect he had on her. "You're beautiful," he said as he offered his arm to her. Her blush deepened as she linked her arm in his.

"Thank you, Heero. You look quite handsome yourself."

01101001 01101110 00100000 01110010 01101111 01110011 01100101

Relena glanced up at Heero, admiring his strong profile. His eyes were so intense, so focused, always scanning for any potential threats. She was thrilled when he had surprised her a few weeks ago by offering to escort her to the gala. Usually she had to ask, or plead with him before he would agree. She knew he had probably only offered because of some threat against her life, but she didn't care. All she cared about was spending some time with him. Besides, she never felt safer than when she was with him.

As they walked the perimeter of the ballroom, a few dignitaries and their significant others briefly stopped them to greet Relena and compliment her and her work on the newly passed plan for the next stage of the Mars Terraforming Project. Heero gently squeezed the back of her arm to let her know it was time to end the conversation and to keep moving. She skillfully wrapped up her discussion with pleasantries and a light laugh, grasping Heero's arm once again and allowing him to whisk her away.

She looked up at him again. He too had grown so much in the past year. His shoulders were broader, his muscles larger and even more defined. Even with her 3 inch heels, he still towered over her.

_I wonder what he looks like without a shirt?  
_  
_Oh my! Where did that come from? _Heero had awakened a part of herself that she didn't know she had. Only he made her feel this way; giddy like she was in high school, with butterflies in her stomach. He radiated strength and confidence. She couldn't help but admire him. He looked so incredibly handsome in his navy blue tux. His right arm was firm and she could feel his taut muscles underneath his clothing. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of gunpowder and metal.

Heero looked down at her. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she smiled back at him. His eyes softened and his lips turned upward ever so slightly. _I love your smile._ She cherished these rare moments; they were so few and far in between. Just as suddenly as his smile appeared, it was replaced with an intense glare that focused on something behind her.

Relena was about to turn around when she felt a tap on her right shoulder. She turned to face a middle-aged balding man that bowed to her. "Excuse me, Vice Foreign Minister, but may I have this dance?" She forced a smile and pushed down the anger and disappointment building inside her at this intruder for ruining a perfectly good moment with Heero. Yet, the etiquette that had been ingrained into her since birth prevailed, and she politely agreed.

She looked back over her left shoulder to Heero, trying to convey her apologies at the interruption, but his attention was focused elsewhere. Sighing, she looked at her partner and forced another smile as they began to move across the dance floor.

Her feet were killing her. Not only had she been dancing for the past hour, but her current partner kept stepping on her toes. _Ouch!_ "Terribly sorry, Miss Relena," he apologized.

Just as she was about to excuse herself, a deep baritone voice said, "My turn." _Heero_. The young diplomat visibly shuddered and, with a mumbled apology, quickly left as Heero stepped in and gracefully twirled her around the ballroom.

"Thank you for saving me."

He pulled her in closer. "Always," he said, gazing down at her with an intensity that made her tremble. 

01101001 01101110 00100000 01110010 01101111 01110011 01100101

He was entranced by her. He loved the way she felt in his arms. The way her small soft manicured hand felt in his larger calloused hand. The way she fit perfectly with him. And, God, did she smell heavenly, like a garden full of flowers. She was so beautiful in her dark blue dress; radiant and intoxicating. He couldn't suppress the urge to press the small of her back closer to him. Heero took pride in even the smallest of missions, like saving her and her precious toes. He'd securely held her in his arms for the past two dances. Although he didn't want to stop, he knew all good things must come to an end.

He looked down and couldn't help but admire her beauty. Her breasts were fuller than they had once been. Mentally chiding himself, he forced his attention elsewhere, focusing, once again, on scanning the room.

"Heero?" He heard her ask.

He peered down at her again. "Hmm?"

"I can't tell you how much it means to me that you escorted me tonight. You are really quite amazing."

"Look who's talking," he smiled. She beamed up at him.

He waltzed her to the edge of the ballroom near the refreshments, and seamlessly escorted her off the dance floor. He grabbed two champagne flutes and gave one to her. "Thank you" she said quietly before taking a long sip. She was just about to ask Heero to take a turn around the garden when she heard a familiar voice.

"Princess! Don't you look ravishing!" Duo exclaimed with a mischievous grin. Relena blushed and smiled back. Heero glared. Duo quickly deflected his glare by wrapping an arm around his best friend. "Heero, buddy, isn't she just the prettiest thing you ever saw?" Duo felt Heero tense.

To Duo's surprise, Heero replied, "Yes, she is."

Relena's cheeks were on fire. _Did he just say..._

"Atta boy!" Duo exclaimed and shook his arm wrapped around Heero's shoulder a little bit. "Sorry to be a killjoy but Une needs to speak with you."

"Hn." Heero gave the passing waiter his empty champagne glass. He looked towards Relena and apologetically sighed, "Excuse me." Then he walked away.

Duo looked between the two of them and cleared his throat. "Well, I wasn't expecting that."

Relena lost sight of Heero and turned to her friend. "Duo! It's so good to see you. How are you? How's Hilde?"

"I'm good! She's good! We're all good! Hilde would love to get together soon and go shopping or whatever you ladies like to do."

"I would love that! I'll be sure to give her a call tomorrow. Would you excuse me for a moment? I need to freshen up."

"Of course, Princess! Don't fall in!"

Relena laughed as she made her way to the ladies room.

01101001 01101110 00100000 01110010 01101111 01110011 01100101

Relena dried her hands with a towel and tossed it in the bin. She checked her dress and smoothed out any wrinkles. She felt so beautiful tonight and blushed at the memory of Heero's compliment. He had never made a comment like that before, not in front of anyone else, and certainly never in front of Duo.

_Heero... _

She left the ladies room, determined to find him, make him dance with her all night; maybe even get him to kiss her. _A girl can dream, can't she?  
_  
She scanned the crowd, looking for him._ Ah ha, there you are._ She locked eyes with Heero and for an instant, they were the only two people in the room. The music faded as she lost herself in the depth of his Prussian blue eyes.

A loud shot broke through the deafening silence.

_What was that?_ She watched as his eyes widened and he began running towards her. She felt a sharp pain in her upper left chest and looked down, gasping for air that wouldn't come. _I've been shot._ She felt herself falling backwards and looked over to Heero still running towards her again. _Heero..._ Tears gathered in her eyes.

"RELENA!"

_Heero..._ He looked different... his Prussian blue eyes were so big... he looked pained. He looked scared. "RELENA!"

"He..." Relena tried to talk but couldn't. It was dark. _Why is it getting dark?_

"Look at me, Relena! Look at me!" Heero hovered over her.

_I'm trying, Heero. I'm... I'm so tired.  
_  
"Relena, stay with me." he commanded.

_I'm here, Heero. I'm..._

"Relena, I..." Everything went dark.

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Broken! I am planning to post a new chapter every week so make sure you favorite me and follow Broken so you don't miss out on any updates! Thank you so much reading! If you feel so inclined, I would love for you to review it. Feel free to PM me too. I love chatting with other GW fans!

P.S. Be on the lookout for quotes from the series… I have used quite a few in this story! ;-)


	2. Broken

**Disclaimer:** Despite the fact that I would love to own Gundam Wing, sadly I do not.

**Author's note: **Thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed, followed, favorite, etc. I really appreciate your feedback. I have worked hard on this story over the past four months and I'm glad to see you are enjoying it so far. I hope I don't disappoint!

iKiohri – Whoever and wherever you are, thank you for your review! I wanted to personally message you but your review shows up as a guest comment even though it shows your pen name. I don't know what that's about but I definitely wanted to let you know that I appreciate it! :-)

As always please feel free to message me! I love talking Gundam Wing with other fans! Until then, enjoy the second chapter of Broken. 

* * *

**Chapter 2: Broken**

**Sanc Kingdom Castle**

Fall AC 197

Earlier in the evening...

He noticed Relena from across the ballroom and locked eyes with her. She was breathtaking. An angel of twilight. He couldn't help being drawn to her, as if by an invisible magnetic force. She smiled at him. This was not like her seasoned politician smile, instead it was a genuine and heartfelt smile that made her eyes twinkle like the night sky. A smile only he could elicit from her.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spied suspicious movement. He heard someone shout, "He's got a gun!" But he was too far away to do anything to stop the assassin. He had been too distracted by the one he was supposed to protect. She was both his strength and his weakness.

Simultaneously, he heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot and against his instincts, he ran to Relena instead of going after the assailant. He heard that bloodcurdling sound once again, and he felt as is the bullet had pierced him, but it had not. His stomach was in knots. _What's wrong with me?_ He screamed her name. As if in slow motion, she fell backwards, never broke eye contact with him. He caught her before she hit the ground. Holding her tightly he pleaded with her, "Look at me, Relena! Look at me!" She glanced up through her long eyelashes. She looked so tired.

"Relena, stay with me," he commanded, his gaze piercing into her aquamarine orbs. She began to relax in his arms as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Relena, I…"

01000010 01110010 01101111 01101011 01100101 0110110

**Sanc Kingdom Castle**

Fall AC 197

Later that night...

A heavy hand on his shoulder brought him out of the memory.

"Hey buddy, are you alright?" Duo asked, his voice thick with concern as he plopped down next to Heero.

"I wasn't there to protect her," his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?"

He looked up at Duo with stormy eyes and in a louder yet slightly shaky voice said. "I wasn't there to protect her."

"We got him, Heero. Wufei is running his fingerprints and picture through Preventers database. We'll know more soon."

Heero didn't care, all he could think about was how he failed. He failed his mission. He failed Relena.

_What a miserable mission. I screwed up. I TOTALLY SCREWED UP! _

He looked over to the ambulance and the gurney where Relena lay. The medics had just covered her with a blanket.

Duo followed Heero's gaze. "You should go see her one more time before they take her away."

"I can't. Not yet." Heero was still trying to process all that had transpired. He sat on the steps of the newly reconstructed Peacecraft palace, staring at nothing in particular. He just kept running through the mission data. His mind was like a wheel that refused to cease it's revolutions.

Duo gently squeezed Heero's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, I am going to go see her. I don't want her to be alone."

_Relena..._

Heero dropped his head into his hands. He shouldn't have become distracted. She always did know how to break down the walls he had built around his heart.

01000010 01110010 01101111 01101011 01100101 0110110

**Sanc Kingdom Castle**

April 8, AC 197

Flashback to when Epyon De Telos infiltrated Sanc Kingdom Castle during Relena's 17th birthday party.

"You came for me, Heero?"

"Hn."

Relena smiled at her rescuer.

Heero held out his hand to her, "Come on."

Relena glanced at his hand, then back up at him and once more at his inviting hand, before rushing towards him. When she grasped his hand, he looked back at her and gave her a rewarding smirk.

Heero quickly led her down the long dark corridor, keeping a firm grasp on Relena's hand. As they rounded the corner, he heard soldiers quickly approaching. Thinking quickly, he opened the linen closet door and pulled Relena to him. His arm was still around her waist holding her close when he shut the door quietly.

Relena could feel his heart beating beneath her palm. Heero shifted his head closer to hers so his breath tickled her cheeks. She shivered and looked up at him. "Heero?"

He released her. "Take off your heels. We're going to make a run for it."

Relena complied and removed them. She set them on one of the shelves near some bath towels. She loved these particular pair of heels and was glad that she wouldn't have to worry about ruining them today. Afterall, it was her mansion and one of the maids would return them to her shoe closet.

"I'm going to get you out of here. We're going to run down the hall to the right and take the stairs down to the servant entryway, then outside to the rose garden where Wing Zero is waiting. Think you can do that?"

Relena visualized their escape route and nodded.

"Okay, let's go." Heero unholstered his gun and clicked the safety off as he listened once more for movement. With his free hand he grabbed Relena's soft manicured hand and opened the door. He raised his gun, ready to shoot down whoever interfered with his mission. Confirming there wasn't a threat, he ran down the hallway, practically dragging Relena with him. "Hurry up!"

"I'm trying! It's hard to run with a ballgown on you know!" Relena groused.

Thankfully they didn't run into any soldiers on their way to Wing Zero. Heero helped her and her enormous gown into the cockpit. He guided Relena to sit on his lap as he closed the hatch. Relena smiled back at him, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Heero gave her a smile in return as he held up a red rose. "Happy Birthday, Relena."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "How did you…? When…? Oh, thank you, Heero!"

"You're welcome."

"It's beautiful." she exclaimed looking at the rose.

"Yes, very beautiful." Heero quietly said as he admired the young woman who sat on his lap.

Relena glanced up at him through her lashes, blushing as bright as the red rose.

"Would you like to go for a ride?"

Almost too excitedly, Relena replied, "Yes!"

Heero laughed.

"So what does this button do?" Relena asked as she accidentally pushed it. He wasn't laughing anymore.

"Oops!"

Thankfully, she had only pulled up Zero's communication system.

Heero sighed.

"Don't touch anything else unless you want to die," Heero glared at her.

Relena laughed. "I'm sorry! It was an accident. I won't do it again, I promise." She clasped her hands together and dropped them firmly in her lap.

Heero thought he had better show her around the cockpit.

Relena listened carefully as he pointed out the various controls.

"Wow… you really are amazing you know that?" she said, clearly in awe of him.

"Look who's talking."

She smiled, remembering their conversation on Libra. She was brought out of her thoughts as his arm wrapped around her and pulled her closer to him. "Sit back and don't move." he said in her ear. She shivered again.

Heero maneuvered Zero away from her palace and towards the safety of the Preventer Headquarters. They arrived quickly, thanks to his minor modifications to the twin vernier engines so Zero could once again take flight.

Relena moved to stand up, reluctantly leaving the comfort of Heero's lap, and winced in pain. "Ouch!"

"What's wrong?" catching her waist with his arms as he gently sat her back down against him.

"My foot really hurts. I think I may have stepped on something."

"Let me see." Relena shifted so she sat perpendicular on him and lifted her skirts up to her knees. Heero raised her foot and noticed that it was covered in dirt. He carefully ran his thumb along the bottom of her foot. Relena giggled and tried not to squirm too much as Heero inspected the source of her pain.

"You broke your pinky toe and there is a thorn stuck in the bottom of your foot."

Relena bit her lip and looked at Heero with tearfilled eyes.

"It'll be okay. I promise." He reached to cup her face just as a tear escaped. He wiped it away before reaching around the seat for the first aid kit. He popped open the kit and pulled out the necessary items. He cleaned the wound and extracted the thorn without any trouble, then wrapped her foot and secured her broken toe in dressings.

"There. That wasn't too bad was it?"

"It hurts," Relena whimpered.

Heero grabbed her chin and brought her close to him as his face rose to meet hers. He captured her soft lips with his. It took a few seconds before Relena realized what was happening and quickly kissed him back. They savored their kiss for just a few moments longer before Heero pulled away.

"Better?"

"Much better."

01000010 01110010 01101111 01101011 01100101 0110110

**Sanc Kingdom Castle**

Fall AC 197

Duo sauntered over to where Relena lay. Her lips were a bluish purple color and her skin had lost it's usual glow. Her crown jewels had all been removed, presumably back in the vault for safekeeping. Her blonde hair looked quite disheveled as several strands poked out in numerous spots from her once elegant updo.

_Damn, I'm going to have nightmares over this one._

Duo scratched the top of his head and looked back to the stairs to see a slumped over Heero. _Man, he's finally lost it. _"You know, Princess, I don't think I have ever seen Heero so… so broken."

Duo adjusted the blanket to cover her cold neck and leaned in to whisper, "He loves you more than you know. He may not admit it anytime soon, but he does. And he always will."

"Duo, how's Heero doing?" asked Trowa.

"I think he's in shock."

"Hmm. I see." Trowa glanced over towards the now vacant stairs. _Wonder where he went._ "Would you like anything to drink?"

"Yeah, I'd like a coffee please. It's been a long night and I have a feeling it's going to get even longer. I'll stay here with the Princess."

"Alright. I'll be back soon."

10 minutes later...

"Here's your java." Trowa handed a travel cup over to Duo while taking a sip from his cup.

"Heyyy, thanks man. I asked for coffee not Java... Uh, what is this?" Duo asked, raising an eyebrow and taking a curious sniff. "Hmm… smells like coffee. Must be coffee."

Duo took a big swig and spewed it all over the ground. "What the hell, Trowa?! This needs a cup of sugar and milk to make it drinkable."

"You just asked for coffee. You didn't specify that you wanted milk and sugar in it." Wufei chimed in from behind them.

"Coffee isn't coffee without milk and sugar!"

Walking over to Duo, Wufei snatched the java away from him and took a big drink of it. "Thanks for the java, Trowa."

Duo gaped at him. "Hey! You just stole my coffee!"

"Where's Heero?"

"I dunno, man. I'm not his babysitter."

Wufei walked away with his stolen java to find Heero.

01000010 01110010 01101111 01101011 01100101 0110110

**Local Gun Range**

Heero left the Peacecraft palace to blow off some steam at the gun range. Shots rang out one after another in perfect precision, hitting their intended paper target bullseye every time. Heero imagined shooting the man and it only fueled his already perfect aim. He promised Relena he would never kill anyone, but that didn't mean he couldn't think about it. Besides, it wouldn't do any good to shoot him now. Unlike his comrade, Duo had not taken an oath to never kill again. He had taken down the gunman seconds after Relena had been shot. Heero didn't necessarily enjoy Duo's company, but he was glad that he had been willing to help with Relena's security at the gala.

_Relena…_

His phone rang. Wufei's militant voice could be heard through the receiver.

"You left before I could interview you," he practically barked.

"I'll be right there."

01000010 01110010 01101111 01101011 01100101 0110110

**Present Day**

**Hospital**

Heero finished giving Wufei his account of the horrible events of evening, then he made his way through the maze of hallways that made up the Preventer Building in Sanc Kingdom. At long last, he had reached his destination. Heero quietly entered the room and gazed at the woman who lay perfectly still. Even now, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever set his eyes on.

Her blonde hair had been taken down and brushed out. Her dress was noticeably absent as her gruesome chest wound was now on display.

Heero's eyes ran over her and he took a few steps closer. He ran a hand over her toes, which he had previously tended to not so long ago, moving up her leg and to her arm, and finally up to her face where he gently pushed some strands out of her face. He stared down at her, willing her to open her eyes.

"Relena, I…" 

* * *

**Author's Note:** What do you think Heero said to Relena? Stay tuned! You'll find out in Chapter 3! :D


	3. Death

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam Wing. **A/N: **It's Friday! Thank you, thank you to Ninjette Twitch, Revy679, and whatsyourpathology for beta reading this chapter.

Friendly reminder that this particular work contains **citrus content** and lots of it in the following chapters. If that is not your thing, then just don't read this story.

Chapter 3: Death

**Present Day**

**Hospital**

Heero finished giving Wufei his account of the horrible events of the evening, then he made his way through the maze of hallways that made up the Preventer Building in Sanc Kingdom. At long last, he had reached his destination. Heero quietly entered the room and gazed at the woman who lay perfectly still. Even now, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever set his eyes on.

Her blonde hair had been let down and brushed out. Her dress was noticeably absent as her gruesome chest wound was now on display.

Heero's eyes ran over her and he took a few steps closer. He ran a hand over her toes, which he had previously tended to not so long ago, moving up her leg and to her arm, and finally up to her face where he gently pushed some strands out of her face. He stared down at her, willing her to open her eyes.

"Relena, I… I don't… I don't even know what to say except I'm sorry. I failed you."  
Heero ran a hand through his unruly hair.

Heero grabbed a chair and pulled it up to her bedside.

"I won't fail you again."

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

**ESUN Headquarters**

**A few months ago**

Relena just returned from an arduous meeting with the Foreign Minister and President. She had back to back meetings all day. All she wanted to do was go home and take a bubble bath with a huge glass of wine. Unfortunately, she had way too much to do to partake in such luxuries. Inwardly sighing, Relena reluctantly made her way back to her floor.

She walked into her office and slammed the door in frustration as she flipped on the lights. She threw her briefcase off to the side, ridding herself of a heavy burden, if only momentarily, and began to untie her lacy white cravat.

"Rough day?"

She almost jumped out of her skin. "Oh! Heero, you scared me!"

"Sorry."

She turned around to meet his Prussian blue orbs. "Why were you sitting in the dark?" she inquired.

Heero didn't answer as he continued to type on his computer.

"How did your meeting go?"

"Which one? I've only had about seven today," she sarcastically snapped back.

Heero closed his laptop as he looked up at her. "Hmm. That bad huh?"

"I just don't know what to do. The fact is we need more funding for the Mars Terraformation project before we can begin the next phase. Many diplomats and their respective territories haven't put their money where their mouths are… yet. It's just… just SO frustrating!" Relena vented as she threw her hands down on her desk.

"I'm not a politician but I can help you with the mechanical reports that just arrived. I'll make some notes and suggestions for the equipment that you will need."

"Really?! You'd do that for me, Heero? That would be wonderful. It's all gibberish to me."

_I would do anything for you._

"Hn." Heero walked over to the kitchenette, conveniently located in the corner of her office. He tapped on the electric teapot and prepared a cup of tea for her and a black cup of coffee for himself. He remembered Pagan would always put a sugar cookie on her tea saucer. He shuffled through a few cabinets before he found his target. He snagged a flower from a nearby flower arrangement and put it in a bud vase, then perfectly arranged their cups and took the silver tray over to Relena's desk.

Even though she wanted wine, tea served by Heero was the next best thing.

"Thank you, Heero. You are so good to me." She admired his handiwork as she picked up the delicate china and brought it up under her nose and took a deep breath before taking a sip.

_You deserve so much more, Relena._

Determined to be of use, Heero began going through the reports as Relena worked diligently on her computer. That didn't stop Relena from stealing a glance at him over her monitor however. _He's so handsome when he's focused. _Her gaze shifted lower and focused on his lips. Subconsciously, she licked hers as she remembered their kiss in Wing Zero. Sensing her gaze, he looked up to see her quickly avert her eyes as her cheeks burned. A smile tugged at his lips, admiring the beauty across from him.

_God, you're beautiful when you blush._

Relena's stomach growled loudly, deepening her blush. _How embarrassing!_

Heero raised an inquisitive eyebrow before inspecting the time. _No wonder she's hungry._

"I'll order some food. How does Chinese sound?"

"Mmm... That sounds delicious!"

They ate their dinner on the couch while discussing the details of Heero's recommendations for the Mars colony generators. She listened in awe as he spoke in his deep baritone voice. Most of it was incomprehensible but she loved listening to him speak. The sound of his voice was intoxicating.

Patting her stomach, she said, "That hit the spot. Thanks again, Heero." She tossed their to-go cartons in the compost while she glanced over to the clock, yawning. "How can it be 9 already? I still have so much to do," she groaned.

"I'll take you home," he said as he gathered his laptop and Preventer jacket.

Surrendering herself to his care, Relena gathered her things and walked into the hallway. Heero shut her door, securing it for the night. Relena smiled at him. "Ready?"

Heero nodded and placed a protective hand on the small of her back as he led her to the elevator.

Relena yawned as the elevator doors closed. Heero must have thought she was going to fall over because he wrapped an arm around her petite waist and brought her closer for support. Instinctively, she laid her head his shoulder.

_Can we just stay like this forever?_

As the doors opened, Heero reluctantly resumed his earlier protective stance and she immediately missed his warmth.

As they approached Heero's custom black McLaren sports car, Heero quickened his pace just enough to reach the door before her. Beaming up at him, Relena slid in the front seat as Heero held the door open and was rewarded with a smile.

On the ride home, Relena fell asleep in the car. Heero opened the car door ever so quietly as to not wake the sleeping beauty. He gently picked her up, cradling her in his sculpted arms. Her head snuggled into his neck as she lightly breathed out, "Heero...". In response, he briefly brought his head down to nuzzle against hers, stealing a moment of tenderness that he had no right to. He lifted his head to admire the gorgeous woman he held in his arms. Savoring the moment, his heart took a picture to always remember the way she looked.

Heero carried the precious cargo up the stairs and down the hallway before laying her in her king sized bed. He removed her shoes and tucked her in. Before leaving, he gave her a soft kiss on her temple goodnight. "Sweet dreams, Relena."

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

**Hospital**

Heero woke up, his hand immediately searching for his gun as he realized he wasn't at his apartment. It only took him a moment to recognize where he was…

_Relena..._

As if she heard his thoughts, Relena stirred. Wincing in her sleep, she let out a small moan.

Heero grabbed her hand and traced circles over the back with his calloused thumb.

She slowly began to open her eyes and gave him the smallest smile before saying his name in a scratchy voice, "Heero…"

"Shhhh, it's okay. I'm here. Are you in any pain?"

Her only response was a slight nod of her head.

"I'll get the nurse."

Heero left and immediately returned with a very frazzled nurse to increase Relena's morphine drip.

"Heero..."

"Rest now, Relena. We'll talk soon."

She smiled as she drifted back to sleep.

Heero made sure she was sleeping comfortably before heading down the hall to Sally's office. Without knocking, he barged in.

"Relena woke up for a few minutes but she's back asleep now. I think she needs some time off to recover. She's working too hard."

"Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking," Sally agreed as she ruffled through her desk.

"I'm taking her to a safe location to keep her hidden until I can contain the situation," Heero informed her.

"Yes, I think it's for the best and you're the perfect man for the job," Sally concurred as she scribbled something down then handed him two prescription notes; one for painkillers, the other for a vacation. "Show her these in case she gives you any trouble." Sally smiled knowing how stubborn Relena could be.

Heero smirked and left just as abruptly as he entered.

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

Her eyes fluttered open as she adjusted to the bright hospital lights.

_Where am I?_

Her eyes focused on the end of the bed where a head of unruly hair watched the silent news report."Vice Foreign Minister Darlain Assassinated" scrolled at the bottom of the television.

_Oh, God! Did I die? No, I can't be…_

Alarmed, she moved to sit up but couldn't find the strength to do so. Heero turned back to her, his eyes thick with concern and worry.

"Don't move. You were shot and you have a few bruised ribs along with some minor cuts on the left side of your chest."

Heero moved his chair next to her running a hand over her hair. "How are you feeling? Are you in pain?"

"I'm alright. Getting shot hurts like hell."

Heero chuckled internally.

"I'm getting you out of here as soon as possible. Duo will drive us back to the palace so you can rest comfortably before we leave."

"Leave…? Where…?" Relena was cut short as Duo walked in.

"Heya, Princess! How are ya doing? You're looking good. Well, you've looked better, like when you had that killer dress on last night…" Heero smacked him upside the head stopping his incessant rambling. "Ouch! Sorry, Princess. I was just really worried about you."

Relena giggled and winced in pain. "That's okay, Duo. Just try not to make me laugh."

"As you wish, pretty lady! See you in a bit! I'm going to go get the car." He turned to leave.

"Wait, Duo! Make sure you get some Java before you leave, you look tired. Or did Wufei steal all of the coffee around here?" she jabbed back.

His mouth fell open. "You heard that?!"

Smiling, Relena replied, "Yes. I may have been in shock but I could still hear everything while I was lying there. Thanks for pulling up the blanket. I was freezing."

Duo blinked as if trying to register what she had said. "Yeah, well the God of Death wasn't on duty at the moment, so I did what I could."

"We're behind schedule," Heero injected bluntly.

"Welp, duty calls! See ya soon!" Duo gave a short wave.

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

"Dove is secure and flying to the cage." Heero said.

"Heero, why…" Relena struggled to get her words out. Furrowing her brows she concentrated and tried again. "Heero, why did the television say I was assassinated?"

"I'll tell you when we're in the car." He was hoping to avoid the subject while she was under the influence.

Relena held onto her wheelchair as Heero quickly rolled her down the hallway, purposefully avoiding populated sections of the hospital to avoid detection.

"Heero… can you... slow down?" Relena covered her mouth. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Without thinking, he snatched a small trash bin from the vacant nurse's station, put it in her lap and wheeled her into an empty room.

"I'm sorry, Relena. I need to get you down to the car. We don't have much time."

Her brain was foggy and she felt too weak and nauseous to argue, especially when he was on a mission. Before she could comprehend what was going on, he pulled two syringes from his Preventer jacket, checked the labels, then pushed saline then a dose of Zofran into her IV. "That should help."

It did. The nausea subsided fast enough for her to regain her composure so Heero could get her to the car, located in the indoor parking garage underneath the basement. They took the little known and barely used underground tunnel in and out of the hospital.

She couldn't quite remember how she got in the back of the standard issue Preventer SUV but she didn't care for she was leaning against Heero's shoulders as he typed away on his laptop.

Without missing a beat, he continued to type as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

Blinking a few times, she gathered her thoughts, well she tried to anyway. _What did he say?_ All she could say was "huh?"

Her response or rather lack thereof caused Heero to stop typing and look down at her. His eyes searched hers as he assessed her status. _She's still heavily drugged. I'm surprised she's even awake right now. _"How are you feeling?" he asked again.

"I don't know." She answered honestly as she sat up and turned to him. "Why did the news say I was assassinated, Heero?"

"We thought it would be best considering we don't have all the facts yet."

_We? Who's we?_ It was hard for her to process what he was saying, but she needed to let people know that she was okay. She didn't want the world falling into chaos under the false pretense of her supposed death. "I know I was just shot but I have a lot of work to do."

She could have been hallucinating but she could have sworn she saw Heero smile at her before digging into his pocket.

"Here."

He handed her two small pieces of paper that she couldn't quite make out in the dark of the night. Squinting at them as she held them close to Heero's laptop she realized they were prescriptions. One for pain meds and the other for vacation.

"Vacation?!" She scoffed. "I can't take a vacation! Not when I was just shot," she objected.

"That's precisely why you are going to take a vacation." Heero's eyes locked with hers in an unspoken duel. And like usual, she caved under his intense stare. "It's doctor's orders."

"Yeah… but!" she retorted.

"No buts. You need rest. You've been working too hard as it is."

Sighing, she gave up. She wasn't in the mood to argue and his shoulder was calling her name. Leaning against him, she closed her eyes as she listened to the rapid clicking of the laptop keys and drifted off to sleep.

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

**Sanc Kingdom Palace  
Relena's Bedroom**

Relena had succumbed to sleep once more and Heero didn't want to wake her, so he carried her to her room. As Heero watched her sleep, his peaceful moment was interrupted by Duo.

"How's she doing?"

Heero looked over to a balled up Relena and smiled at her sleeping figure. "She's fine."

Duo shook his head. "And how are you?"

Heero looked over at him surprised at his question. He didn't know how to respond so he refrained from doing so all together. Duo was used to his lack of responses anyway. Hopefully, he would leave soon so he could work on the mountain of paperwork that he had to complete.

"Aren't you going to go to sleep soon?"

"I'm staying right here. I'm not leaving her."

Duo nodded understandingly. "Let me know if you need anything. I'd be happy to watch over her for awhile if you want to get some sleep."

"Thanks." Thank you for shooting him is what he meant but they never needed to say much when it came to work. Being former Gundam pilots and comrades, their understanding ran deeper than most colleagues. Heero had made a mistake and Duo was there to correct it. Thankfully, Relena was okay. But this incident would never repeat itself, he told himself. He couldn't fail her again. Afterall, he should've prevented the incident in the first place. He was responsible for allowing a gunman to breach security. He would have to do better, be better. He was called the perfect soldier for a reason. He didn't make mistakes. Not when it came to _her_. "_I'll always protect you._" His promise to her reverbeted in his mind as he looked over to her angelic figure.

Duo smiled and simply replied, "No prob."

Heero nodded and returned to typing as Duo backed away and left him in peace.

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

A few hours later, Relena stirred in her sleep causing Heero to glance over. Her brows were knitted together as she let out a pitiful whine.

_She's in pain._ Leaning down, Heero grabbed his duffel bag and withdrew some pain medication. He made his way over to her and carefully removed the blankets that she had cocooned herself in while sleeping in order to administer her pain medicine. Unfortunately, her eyes fluttered open as he was tucking her back in.

"Heero..." she breathed out as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room.

"Shhh go back to sleep," he attempted to soothe her.

"It hurts." Tears quickly formed in the corner of her eyes.

He couldn't stand seeing her like this... she was so helpless and he was determined to make all the pain go away but he didn't know how.

"Stay." She begged, breathing rapidly due to the pain.

He crawled into bed with her and cautiously gathered her into his arms. The last thing he wanted was to cause her anymore suffering. As she cried into his chest, he massaged her back and whispered, "It's going to be okay. The pain meds will kick in soon."

Her sniffles were slowing as she looked up at him with blotchy red eyes and dampened cheeks. "Heero, I want you to make me a promise."

He put a finger to her lips to silence her. "I'm never going to leave you."

She smiled and choked back a sob as a few more tears trailed down her cheek.

He wiped away her tears and pulled her close. "Sleep. You're safe."

About four hours later, she awoke to the sound of his rapid fire typing and the distinct scent of gunpowder and metal that could only be _his_. Smiling to herself, she buried her face in her pillow as she tried to wake up and adjust to the idea that _he_ was in her bed. Knowing she probably had mascara and makeup all over the place, she tried to rub the black smudges that were surely present from underneath her eyes. Then she got a whiff of her own morning breath and inwardly cringed. _Oh my gosh! What am I going to do?! I can't talk to him when my breath smells this bad._

"Relena? Are you alright?" Heero asked without ceasing his typing.

_Oh no! What do I say?!_ Without turning to look at him, she mumbled, "fine" into her pillow.

She couldn't see but he quirked an eyebrow as he looked over at her golden mop of hair. "Are you sure?"

_You were shot last night. You and I both know that you aren't fine._

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little foggy."

Heero sighed and clicked his laptop shut. The bed shifted as he stood up and padded over to her side of the bed and crouched down to be at eye level with her. She stopped breathing all together for fear of killing him with her malodorous breath.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

_Of all the times to be talkative, he would pick the worst possible morning. Ugh! _She turned her head the other way so she wouldn't face him, at least not yet. She took a deep breath to give herself enough oxygen before she turned to look at him. His usually intense deep blue eyes were filled with concern. Thank goodness she was already in bed because she would have melted from the look on his face. _He cares about me._ Not wanting to be rude but also not wanting to embarrass herself, she shielded her breath by cupping her hand over her mouth.

"I have horrible morning breath, especially since I didn't brush my teeth last night."

Heero smirked and lightly laughed. "I don't care but if it's bothering you, I'll help you walk to the bathroom so you can brush your teeth."

She couldn't help but smile. He was such a gentleman. _Maybe I should get shot more often?_ She pondered for a moment but internally chiding herself for such a ridiculous notion. "Alright. I think need help sitting up though."

Heero carefully pulled down her covers and reached for her arm. "I should take this out," he said pointing to her IV. "It might hurt," he warned. Relena braced herself for pain but Heero had somehow already removed it without her realizing. He retrieved the some gauze from the medical kit on her nightstand and placed it over the needle prick to stop the bleeding. After checking to make sure the bleeding was slowing, he secured it with waterproof tape.

"There, you should be good to go now." Then, he gently tucked a hand underneath her to support her back and helped bring her to an upright position. "Take it slow and easy."

Relena shook her head in understanding as Heero pulled her to her feet. Without warning, she felt dizzy and began to lose her footing.

"I've got you." _I won't let anything happen to you. I will always protect you._

She heard his deep voice as his arms secured themselves around her waist.

"Thank you," she mumbled into his chest. She closed her eyes as she tried to adjust to being vertical again. A few moments of listening to his heartbeat and trying to match her breathing with his, she finally didn't feel lightheaded anymore. Instead, she felt rather warm and fuzzy inside. Only Heero could have such a profound effect on her.

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you for saving me… again." She lightly laughed.

"Always." Heero released her from his hold but he offered his arm to escort her to the bathroom like he had the night before. Her heart skipped a beat as she readily accepted.

"I'll be right outside if you need anything," he said.

She smiled brightly up at him with her flushed cheeks and closed the door. He stared at the closed door for a few moments, trying to discern what had just happened, why he suddenly missed her and why it physically pained him when he released her from their embrace. Shaking his head, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall waiting for any sign of distress from his princess.

After using the restroom and brushing her teeth, she poked her head out of the bathroom. "Heero?"

"Hmm?" He pushed himself off of the wall.

"Is it okay if I take a shower?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Just sit down and call for me if you feel lightheaded," he advised.

"Thank you!" She beamed and quickly shut the door.

Heero could understand the need for a shower after being shot and stuck in a hospital. Behind him he heard rumpling of clothes hitting the floor and the water turn on. _I bet she's beautiful naked._

Just then, Duo popped his head into the room. "Where's the princess?" he inquired.

"She's in the shower." Heero answered while trying to push the thoughts of the water running over her porcelain skin out of his mind.

"Why aren't you in there with her?" Duo seemed legitimately confused but then again it was Duo. He always seemed to have a hidden agenda. "She naked in there and you're out here still dressed." He sighed. "Man… you're missing out! You could be having a good ol' time right now if ya catch my drift," he winked.

Heero glared at him, still trying to rid himself of thoughts running through his mind which were now causing his blood to pump and pool in a particular area.

"What?! It's a security concern. She could pass out or cut herself while shaving her legs. Razors are dangerous, ya know?!" Duo disputed his glare.

"If she needs me, she'll let me know."

"You know you should probably just marry Relena. You could sleep with her and you'd always be by her side. That would be the best way protect her." Duo left before Heero could say or do anything. Plus, Duo knew all too well that he would never leave her side.

Heero's eye narrowed at his friend. _Marry her? She doesn't want me… She deserves someone better than me. Duo has a lot of crazy ideas but the idea that Relena and I should get married is absolutely insane._ He heard the water shut off and the shower door open. _Thank God._ He adjusted himself and prepared for her to come out.

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

Later in the evening, after the fogginess of the drugs wore off, Relena decided she had better try and get some work done. Duo was distracted by the video games he was currently playing so she thought she would take advantage and chat with her assistant, Karen.

"Miss Relena! Are you alright?! I've been on the phone all day trying to get details about what happened. I thought you died!"

"Yes, I'm just fine and no, I haven't died. I think the Preventers want me to lay low until this all gets sorted out."

"That makes sense."

Suddenly, Heero burst through the door. "Who are you talking to?" he demanded.

"Karen. Why?"

Heero grabbed her laptop and looked Karen dead in the eyes. "You are not to speak a word of this to anyone. Do you understand? You haven't seen or heard from the Vice Foreign Minister. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yesss," stammered Karen.

"Heero, is this really necessary?"

He shot her a look that would frighten anyone else to death, but she was getting used to it and deflected his glare. "Heero, I need to speak to Karen."

Turning back to Karen, he said, "Lay low and don't try to make contact with Relena. If you need to reach anyone, text me. Do you understand?"

She nodded and Heero slammed her laptop shut. "Duo! What the hell?! We're on communication lockdown."

Duo had no idea Heero was even in the room until it was too late. Heero ripped off the headset and unplugged the game.

"Hey! What'd ya do that for?!" Duo protested.

"Relena called Karen. It's too dangerous for her to use any communications right now."

"Heero… I'm sorry. I… I wasn't thinking." She apologized. 

"At times like this, it is better to err on the side of caution," Heero advised.

"Huh?" Duo interrupted, clearly confused.

"This doesn't concern you, Maxwell. Please leave us."

"Alright, boss man." Duo stretched as he walked out the door.

"Heero, she is my assistant! Of course we can trust her." Relena retorted.

"Yeah, and I thought we could trust Chris but look what happened," Heero disputed.

"Please don't be mad at me. What's this really about? Surely, you can't be that mad at me for contacting my own assistant."

"I just wish you wouldn't have contacted anyone. We can't take any unnecessary risks right now."

"I'm sorry…" Relena lowered her head to avoid eye contact.

"And how could you not tell me, Relena?!" Heero asked clearly angry. "As the head of your security, I should be involved in every discussion regarding your personal safety."

"Tell you what?" Relena was confused as to what he was inquiring.

"About your dress!" He demanded.

Realization stuck Relena. "Well, you abruptly left in the middle of our discussion about coordinating our attire for the gala. You said that you understood and that you would get a tux that complimented my dress."

"Relena..." He growled.

"Do you or don't you want me to be safe? I don't see what the problem is. I couldn't very well wear a bullet proof vest over my dress. It simply doesn't look good and the press would have a field day if I made such an egregious fashion faux pas. So, I contacted my dress designer and I told him what I wanted. He assured me that not only would I be safe, but that I would be "the belle of the ball". Heero, I wasn't killed. I am a little sore but I am fine. I am safe as long as I am with you."

_I still can't believe she wore a Kevlar dress..._

"You...you could have been killed!" Shouted Heero.

From the doorway, Duo pipped in, "Next time, maybe your designer could make you a set of the protective energy shield plates like the Mercurius." 

"Shut up, Duo!" Sending him a death glare._ Actually… that's not a bad idea._ Heero shook his head to rid himself of the praise for Duo's idea as he slammed the door in braided man's face.

Relena walked over to her tattered bullet proof dress. "Heero, you don't understand. I looked so beautiful in this dress."

_Yes, you did._

She ran a hand along the side of the gown. "Plus, it has pockets!" She excitedly exclaimed as she whipped out a hidden 9mm handgun.

_What the…_

"Relena, give me the gun. It's not a toy to be tossed around carelessly." He sternly rebuked her.

She immediately handed it over as the smile fell from her face.

"Where did you get this anyway?" He snapped at her. "Relena, I..." Heero started but stopped when he saw her tearfilled eyes. His chest filled with hurt, something he had only felt once before when she was shot.

"Heero…" she began but she couldn't finish her thought either. Tears began streaming down her face. She wanted to tell him where she got the gun but she didn't have the fight in her. Not tonight. She was exhausted and sore from the impact of the bullet hitting the Kevlar._ I shouldn't have to defend myself for being prepared. Doesn't he want me to be safe? _Retreating to the comfort of her bed, she crawled under the covers and turned away from him. Squeezing her eyes closed, she tried to understand why he was being so mean. _He just wants what's best for me… right?_

He felt like he had been stabbed. He looked down at his chest but saw no visible wound. _What's wrong with me?_ He shook his head yet again as he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," Heero whispered. He sat down on the edge of the bed, placing his hand over hers as he reached up to gently tuck some lose strands of golden tresses behind her ear. "I shouldn't be angry at you. I'm the one who screwed up."

Hearing his admission of guilt, broke her heart. _It wasn't his fault. He shouldn't blame himself._ When she turned to face Heero, her anger melted away as she lost herself in the depth of his pained eyes. "It's okay, Heero." She attempted to comfort him but to no avail.

"But it's not okay. One mistake and you could have died." He ran his fingers along her jaw to her chin, tilting her head as he attempted not to drown in the storm raging in her eyes.

Sitting up, she tried to console him once more, "Don't be too hard on yourself."

His tone was much calmer as he spoke, "Relena, I... I don't want you to get hurt." He stopped as he remembered the gun shot, her face, and her falling backwards. "You are too important… to the world, nothing can happen to you." _I don't know what I would do if something did._

"Heero, you are _not_ responsible for the actions of others," she disputed.

"No. No, I'm not. But I am responsible for protecting you. I already told you, my life is yours and I'll protect you until the day I die," Heero proclaimed.

Tears of happiness slowly streamed down her face. "Heero..."

Gently cupping her face, he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. "Relena, just promise me you won't make decisions regarding your safety without me." 

"I promise." 

Heero gently pushed her back down to rest against her pillows. His voice softened as he spoke, "Get some sleep. I'll be downstairs if you need anything." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving. He had no idea why he decided to kiss her except that it just felt right. It was time he started following his emotions.

01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000

_Heero... _

She left the ladies room, determined to find him, make him dance with her all night; maybe even get him to kiss her. _A girl can dream, can't she?  
_  
She scanned the crowd, looking for him._ Ah ha, there you are._ She locked eyes with Heero and for an instant, they were the only two people in the room. The music faded as she lost herself in the depth of his Prussian blue eyes.

A loud shot broke through the deafening silence.

_What was that?_ She watched as his eyes widened and he began running towards her. She felt a sharp pain in her upper left chest and looked down, gasping for air that wouldn't come. _I've been shot._ She felt herself falling backwards and looked over to Heero still running towards her again. _Heero..._ Tears gathered in her eyes.

"RELENA!" 

Relena's eyes snapped open and slowly adjusted to her surroundings. _I'm okay. I'm in my room._ She laid in bed trying to calm herself down, her chest still heaving.

_Thank God I wore that dress._

She rubbed her eyes as she sat up slowly and grabbed the nearly empty glass of water on her bedside table, taking a sip.

Relena stumbled out of her bedroom and nearly reached the bottom of the stairs when she missed a step. Strong arms came out of nowhere, breaking her fall as her hero scooped her up and carried her to the nearby couch, gently setting her down. It was only then that Relena observed his state of undress. _God, he's ripped,_ she blushed profusely.

Heero laid a hand on her forehead. "You're feverish."

"Yeah, I had a bad dream," she stated. He waited quietly for her to continue. "It was like I was being shot again. I feel so icky and gross. I was just coming downstairs to get some ice water."

"I'll go get you some. Stay here and don't get up." He disappeared and returned shortly with a tall glass of ice water.

"You need a vacation. You've been working every day for long periods at a time. Plus, with this latest attempt on your life, it would do you some good to get away and take a break while Preventers resolves the terrorist threat."

"Yeah, I guess it would be nice to get away," Relena nodded.

"Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"

"Yeah, I'd like to go home. I want to see my mom."

"Okay, I'll arrange it. We leave tomorrow morning." Heero shifted in his seat, preparing to get up.

"Thanks, Heero." Relena grabbed his arm, stopping him from standing. "I really appreciate it."

He brought his hand up to cup her face, running his thumb across her cheek before lightly placing a kiss on it. "You're welcome." As he pulled back, Relena moved forward capturing his unsuspecting lips. He didn't think, he just reacted as he fervently kissed her back.

Shocked to see the couple, Duo yelled, "Woah! I definitely wasn't expecting to see that!" Which effectively interrupted their make out session.

"Get lost!" Heero sent him his signature death glare. Duo scampered off to the kitchen, undoubtedly looking for more food.

Turning his attention back to his woman, Heero seductively growled, "Relena…" as he picked up right where they left off.


	4. Made Alive Again

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own Gundam Wing. *sigh*

**A/N:** Happy Hump Day! Sorry I'm a few days late posting this chapter, between family emergencies and log-on issues I just couldn't seem to get it uploaded. But this chapter is well worth the wait. ;-)

Shout out to my amazing betas! You should definitely check out their works! Here are some of my favs:  
**Ninjette Twitch** \- For You; Jack  
**Revy679** \- Midnight Snack; Competition  
**whatsyourpathology **\- Lost Generation

**Warning!** There is entire chapter contains graphic **citrus content**. You are responsible for what you read. If you don't like citrus content, then this isn't the story for you.

**Chapter ****4: Made Alive Again**

**Sanq Kingdom Palace**

Turning his attention back to his woman, Heero seductively growled, "Relena…" as he picked up right where they left off.

Relena giggled as he brought her close, capturing her inviting lips. Heero took advantage of her parted lips, infiltrating her mouth, eager to taste her.

_He's such a good kisser,_ Relena mused as she played with his unruly locks. One of his arms brought her closer while his other arm snaked under her knee. He gazed at her with a spark in his eyes that excited her and she lost all train of thought. Heero gingerly lifted her, avoiding her tender bruises while nibbling on her ear, carrying her to her bedroom as if she were his bride.

Heero slowly released her slender legs onto the hardwood floors. Missing his warmth, Relena pushed her body against his and brought him down for another fiery kiss. Heero kissed her back with just as much passion, pulling her closer still. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly she fit in his arms. As if they were made for each other. They had both been waiting for this moment for far too long. They had deprived themselves of their greatest happiness. Each other. They couldn't get enough; one taste and they were hooked.

Heero's hands roamed her petite figure, mapping out every curve, forever imprinting her on his mind. He slowly walked her backwards until the back of her legs met the bed. His hands trailed down to her round bottom and gave it a firm squeeze before carefully lifting her up onto the edge.

Relena slid her hands over Heero's bare chest, tracing his scars as she worked down. _God, he's gorgeous. _She subconsciously licked her lips as her gaze trailed downward to her obvious effect on him. He rewarded her with a sexy low moan as she ran a hand over his arousal. "Relena…" He pulled her hand away as he growled, "ladies first".

Heero couldn't help but appreciate the view right in front of his eyes; Relena's perky nipples showing through her thin nightshirt. Heero cupped her clothed breasts, fondling them.

_Mission: Relena. _

_Current mission obstacle: Clothing. _

_Solution: Remove all barriers. _

Encouraged by her moans, Heero began to unbutton her shirt, slowly revealing her beautiful bosom. Throwing the shirt behind him, he reclaimed her lips, lowering her onto the bed as he worshiped her perfect nipples. "Ahhhh!" She squirmed, crying out from the new sensations.

He pulled down her remaining barriers in one quick motion, leaving her completely exposed. Although he had completed his mission to remove her clothing, his overall mission would never be finished. Relena would always be his mission, his reason for living. He didn't deserve her and never would but he would serve her with his body and soul. With his internal declaration, Heero trailed fevered kisses down her neck, becoming more delicate as he got closer to her bruised skin that was still black and blue from being shot. He placed a soft kiss right where the bullet would have entered, if not for her Kevlar dress. Relena's chest arched upwards, her body aching for more. Relying on his instincts as a guide, Heero took one of hard nipples into his mouth while he massaged her other breast. Relena ran her fingers through his unruly hair, tugging at the chocolate strands, gasping sharply as he gently bit a nipple. Satisfied, he switched to her other breast to give it equal treatment. While teasing her breasts, Heero ran a free hand down her body all the way to her legs. He gently massaged the outside of her thigh before moving his hand to the inside of her knee, pushing her leg to the side so he could settle between them.

"_Heero_." She breathed his name in such a way that it set fire to his blood.

Heero released her swollen nipple from his mouth and came up to kiss her. Their tongues danced, swirling around one another. Without breaking their fervent kiss, Heero pulled her ass to the edge of the bed. Admiring her creamy legs, he spread them wide, revealing her lower pink lips. His mouth watered in his hunger to taste her.

"You really are a goddess," Heero said huskily as his eyes locked with hers.

Relena's already flushed face burned with arousal and shyness. Noticing her nervousness, he leaned down to kiss her crimson cheek before whispering "trust me" into her ear. Heero licked her earlobe and gently blew on the damp skin. A hand trailed down her body, briefly stopping to brush over her nipples. Relena's hips rose up, rubbing his confined arousal. Heero smirked as her body begged him to continue.

Heero reached her soft blonde curls and traced a finger down her slit, parting her wet lips before moving back to get a better look at his target. Unfamiliar with female anatomy, he went with his gut and ran a finger up and down her glossy folds. Using two fingers, he spread her wide open, displaying her small glistening temple. He gently pushed a finger into her entrance and Relena gasped at the intrusion.

Heero continued to push deeper into her with every thrust. _She's so tight. _He wanted to gently stretch her to prepare her for his rather impressive manhood. He smirked at the thought. He pulled out his finger and replaced it with another one, thoroughly wetting it before adding in the already soaked digit. Relena moaned from the mix of pleasure and pain. Heero reached up to her breast with his other hand to caress her as he slowly moved his fingers in and out of her. Once her hips began to meet his thrusts, he began to move faster.

"Ahhh! Heero!" Relena cried out as he teased her.

Slowing down his thrusts once more, he moved his fingers in and out methodically. Enjoying the pleasure splashed across Relena's face, he kissed her passionately as he continued his teasing. Relena broke the kiss, gasping for air and for release.

"Heero!"

Satisfied with her begging, he slammed his fingers deep into her, moving them faster in and out of her gushing pussy.

"Yes! Oh God, yes!" Relena cried out.

Heero began to rub her love button with his thumb as he felt her tighten around his digits. "Ahhh, right there! Give it to me!" He fondled one perky breast, pinching her nipple. She began to tremble and cry out his name in pure ecstasy. Her walls caved in on him, momentarily locking his fingers in place. Feeling her muscles relax, Heero removed his dripping fingers and licked them clean. He had never seen anything so beautiful. The sight of her coming reminded him of his own need for release.

"That… was… amazing…" Relena barely got out between breaths.

"Good," Heero seductively whispered into her ear, nibbling on her earlobe and beaming with male pride. She wrapped her arms around him, enjoying his ministrations. She ran a hand through his hair before roughly tugging his head back. Their lust filled eyes met briefly before Relena crushed her lips against his in an intense kiss filled with a deep longing for more. Suddenly, she forcefully pushed him back.

"Your turn," she practically purred.

Heero stood up and backed away from her. Her eyes ogled him as her gaze descended to his chest, then his abs, and finally that gorgeous v, which pointed to her goal.

As he began to undo his buckle, Relena rose from her love throne, and took over. She hastily removed his buckle, undid the button and unzipped his pants. Upon pushing down his trousers and boxers in one fell swoop, she spied his soldier standing at full attention for her.

_He's huge! How is that ever going to fit in me?_

Relena swallowed. Heero sensed her nervousness and pulled her close, kissing her until her mind went blank. She could feel his enormous member pressed against her stomach. Gathering her courage, she reached down and wrapped her hand around him. She rubbed his long, thick shaft, tip to base and back, as she lowered herself onto her knees.

Looking up at Heero, she timidly licked his head, then down to his balls using her tongue to trace a vein all the way back up to the top of his head where she planted a light kiss. Heero gently touched the side of her head, encouraging her to continue. Relena opened her mouth to take him. Her tongue explored her new territory as Heero moaned and grasped her hair. Gaining confidence, she took him deeper into her mouth and began to suck. Bobbing up and down on his velvet covered steel, she found her rhythm. _Damn, she's good._ Heero began to thrust against her mouth. Moaning, Relena sucked harder and moved faster.

Heero was getting close; his cock began to twitch as Relena worked her magic. Grunting, Heero threw back his head in ecstacy and came in Relena's mouth. He came so hard a little dribbled out of her mouth as she tried to swallow his seed. She released him with a satisfactory "pop" and let her tongue dart out to catch the escaped jizz.

Heero bent down effortlessly picking her up. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the inviting bed. He laid her down and braced himself above her, kissing her swollen lips down to her neck and back up to her mouth. She looked completely worn out. Heero smirked down at her, knowing he was responsible in part for her exhausted state. Relena let out a long yawn. "I'm sorry. I'm really tired. You've worn me out."

Heero smiled down at her and kissed her chastely before saying, "That's okay. You're still recovering and you need your rest. We need to leave early tomorrow morning anyway."

Heero moved off of her to her side. Afraid Heero was going to leave, Relena pleaded, "stay with me."

"Always." He kissed her forehead and wrapped an arm around her, bringing her closer to him.

01000001 01101100 01101001 01110110 01100101

The morning light was just beginning to peak into the bedroom. Birds chirped their morning songs while two lovers, still in slumber, embraced one another, their hearts and limbs intertwined.

Heero opened his blue eyes, immediately looking down at the woman, _his_ woman, tucked in his arms. Remembering last night's successful mission, he smirked as he thought about all of the things that he wanted to do with her… to her. Although Heero didn't have any previous experience, the intel that he had gathered from the magazines that Duo left laying around his place had proven to be very useful in his endeavors. He gently woke her up, brushing a kiss against her cheek and another on her lips.

While her eyes were still closed, she softly said, "Good morning."

"Good morning."

Smiling, Relena snuggled into him and looked up into his dark blue eyes. _I must be dreaming._

Heero captured her lips in a welcoming kiss. Relena stretched and her brow furrowed in pain.

"Are you sore?" Heero worried as he danced his fingers across her exposed skin.

"Yeah, just a little bit."

Concerned, Heero's eyes met hers in a serious gaze. "Did I hurt you?"

Relena blushed as she remembered his loving touch. "No. You didn't hurt me."

He nodded and said, "Good. I never want to hurt you." His fingers brushed her golden hair over her shoulder in order to gain access to her neck. Last night he had quickly learned that she loved when he paid special attention just under her ear. He lightly breathed on the sensitive skin there, causing her to shiver. He smiled into her neck before continuing to tease her with feathery kisses. A moan escaped her lips. Heero stopped to look at her face. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted. Her chest rose with every breath. She was breathtakingly beautiful and absolutely irresistible. Just as he was about to continue his mission, her eyes flew open and searched his.

"Why did you stop?" She asked, pouting.

"Patience, Princess. Patience." He commanded as he smirked before lowering his head to hers and slowly but ever so passionately kissing her.

She felt like she was on fire. Her entire body tingled in response to his sweet torture. Heero once again pulled away to get a glimpse of her. He wasn't disappointed in her reaction. She looked back at him, the pink tint on her cheeks deepened to a bright crimson. "Last night was amazing," she said barely above a whisper.

Heero smirked, "This morning will be even better."

His comment stoked the flames in her heart. _Oh, God. _Heero shifted on top of her, propping himself on his elbows he leaned down to brush his nose against hers before locking his lips with hers. His lips slowly trailed down to her neck, and he nipped and sucked on her hot flesh there.

"Relena…" his breath tickled her ear and made her snuggle into him. She couldn't help but feel his hardness now pressing against her leg.

He continued worshipping her as he swirled his tongue around her nipple before taking it into his mouth and lightly sucking. His other hand found her center, already dripping with anticipation. Smirking, he gently probed her with a finger while rubbing her clit. It was her turn to moan his name.

"Heero… please…"

He added in another finger, stretching her once more. Her pussy was still so tight. If and when they decided to have sex, he told himself he would try his best not to hurt his virgin goddess. In the meantime, he would take pleasure in giving her sexual gratification. He experimented pleasuring her by stroking in a rhythmic motion, speeding up and slowing down, varying the amount of pressure until he found what she enjoyed most. He knew he had found her g-spot when she screamed out his name, teasing her as he rubbed circles around it before gently caressing the top of her vagina in a curling motion with the pad of his fingertip.

"Nooo…" Relena complained in sexual frustration as he withdrew his fingers.

"Shhh, I'm just getting started."

He shifted himself down the bed further and pushed her thighs apart for the perfect view. Her pussy was already dripping wet from his erotic invasion. He gave her one last look before he dipped down to taste her.

"Oh, God!" She clenched her fists in her satin sheets as pleasure rippled through her.

He smiled against her lower lips and rubbed his nose against her clit, making her jump a little.

"Hold still." His commanding voice turned her on even more as he placed his hand on her pelvic bone just above her soft curls, rubbing her love button with his talented thumb.

"Heero…" she begged.

Her glistening center begged for his attention. She smelled amazing; his mouth watered in anticipation. He pushed his tongue into her, making her cry out again. "Ahhhh!"

She had never experienced such pleasure before. She continued to grip the sheets, twisting them as he explored her cavern with his prodding tongue. Relena gasped and cried out when he inserted two fingers into her as he licked her clit. Her legs shook as she came hard and fast. Heero lapped up her juices that flowed from her.

Relena's chest heaved as she recovered from her orgasm.

"How was that?" Heero asked just above her curls.

"…" Relena just laid there with lust filled eyes, panting from her orgasm.

Smirking, he already had his answer. He kissed his way up her body before kissing her to give her a taste of her sweet nectar. She was still shaking.

"You better get your cute butt in the shower before we're late."

_He thinks my butt is cute!_

He hopped off the bed and held out his hand to her. She took a moment to drink in the sight of his enormous swollen member. Smiling, she accepted his hand and leaned into him for support. Her legs were a little wobbly from her morning delight and she couldn't help but admire his toned physique as she let him guide her into her bathroom. While they waited for the water to warm up, Relena took charge once again and pushed Heero against the wall. He yielded to her indulgences; he would let her do whatever she wanted to him. His desire was evident as it pushed into her stomach when she stood on her tippy toes to kiss him. Heero grabbed her ass and gave it a playful smack before he opened the door for her.

They stepped into the shower. Relena let the hot water cascade down her body. Alluringly, she rubbed her breasts with soap and massaged them while moaning. Heero watched her from the edge of the shower, rubbing his hard cock.

She couldn't help but notice his large member as she snuck a peak at him through her long eyelashes.

"I want you," she purred.

He wanted to pick her up and take her right there and then, but he was completely frozen under her lustful stare. She could ask anything of him and he would give it to her. Relena seductively walked over to him with determined eyes and pushed him down onto the tiled seating ledge in the shower. She lowered herself in front of him and played with his balls. Heero closed his eyes as her warm mouth enclosed around him.

"Relena…"

She worked him, eagerly licking and sucking on his manhood. She even put his balls in her mouth, and ever so slightly sucked them. Heero thrust his hips up forcing himself down her throat, gagging Relena a little in the process. He felt guilty for being rough with her, but damn it felt good. So good, in fact, he came. Surprised, Relena gasped, and his cum ran down her chin and dripped onto her breasts. Heero cupped her face and wiped off his cum with his thumb. Relena scooped up some from her breasts with a finger and put it in her mouth like a lollipop. Heero crushed his lips against hers lifting her up as he stood. He released her, leaving her lightheaded and dazed from their intense kiss. Heero smirked as he closed his eyes to wet his hair underneath the stream of hot water. They switched places so Relena could warm up and wet her hair. They took their time lathering each other up and washing off their bodies.

Heero opened the shower door and grabbed a towel for Relena and another for himself. Before exiting the shower, he dried off his body and vigorously rubbed the towel over his hair.

_No wonder his hair is so unruly._

Heero excused himself to use the bathroom. He came out and threw on his clothes while Relena brushed out her tangled golden locks.

"I'm going to downstairs to get some coffee."

"Could you…"

Heero cut her off, saying, "Two sugars and one cream." He kissed her cheek before leaving.

Relena smiled to herself. _I could get used to this._

01000001 01101100 01101001 01110110 01100101

**A/N:** Aren't Heero and Relena just the cutest?! They are FINALLY getting somewhere! I know someone is going to comment or message me saying "why didn't they have sex?!". Well, a few reasons… first, I want this story to be as realistic and true to the characters and series as possible. I've tried to be intentional with quotes and details from the series that I have used to do just that. Second, it's the fall of AC 197, about 10 months after the Eve War and from the back flashes that I've already shown you, there has been some romance but nothing major that significantly changed their relationship. However, when Relena got shot, it terrified Heero and now he had a lot of thoughts running through his mind that he needed to process. Now he is taking his own advice and following his emotions.

Please remember that despite all of the adult experiences that they have already had, they are STILL teenagers. And inexperienced teenagers typically don't just go straight to having sex. They tend to experiment with their bodies before doing the deed. Don't worry they will get there but not yet. If you've read Red Ribbons or Snowstruck, you know that I will definitely make sure these two will have sex. ;-)

I hope you enjoyed this smutty chapter! Please follow and favorite! Also, I would love, love, love to see what you guys think of Broken so far. Feel free to private message me and/or review! Thanks so much for reading!

In Rose,

Wings Landing


	5. Home

**Disclaimer:** Blah, blah, blah! Standard disclaimer… I _still_ do not own Gundam Wing. #SadDay

**A/N:** Thank you to my amazing betas! I love you guys so much! This fic wouldn't be the same without y'all.

I'm so glad Heero finally acted on his emotions! I can't tell you all how much I enjoyed writing Heero in this particular chapter. He is such an amazing character to portray! I just love him so much! This chapter is significantly longer than the previous four but I think you all will love it! I'll stop talking now, so you guys can get to it! :P

**Chapter 5: Home**

"Good mornin', Sunshine!" Duo said way too cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen.

"You're still here?" Heero scowled before opening the refrigerator to get some cream for Relena's coffee.

"Still happy as ever I see." Duo caught the refrigerator door before it closed to peruse his breakfast options.

Heero glared at him from the corner of his eyes while he plopped two sugars and poured the cream into the steaming coffee.

"Sooo, how's the Princess?" Duo asked while scrounging around in the fridge.

"…" Heero ignored him as he picked up two coffee mugs.

"Cuz from what I heard last night, sounds like she's doing just fine," Duo chuckled.

"That's it!" Heero put down the mugs and grabbed Duo by his priest's collar. Then he slammed his _friend_ up against the wall, his hand dangerously closing around his neck.

"Heero, do you know where…?" Relena walked into the kitchen unaware of the battle currently taking place. Gasping, she yelled, "Heero! Put him down!"

Heero reluctantly released him. Duo dropped to his knees, gasping for air.

Concerned for her friend, she hurried over to him, "Are you alright?"

Wheezing, Duo replied, "Just... fine…" barely breathing.

"Was that really necessary?" Relena looked over to Heero, clearly upset.

"Yes." Heero took a sip of his coffee while giving Duo his famous death glare.

Relena threw Heero a glare of her own, challenging him to say another word. _She's getting good at that._ He seceded and handed her coffee to her.

She smiled and whispered, "thank you" and quickly took a sip of the hot liquid before setting it down on the counter, thinking to herself how thankful she was for Heero and what a great cup of coffee he made. Turning her attention back to her fallen friend, she helped him up and over to the kitchen table. "Please take a seat, Duo. I'll get you some water." She hurried over to the refrigerator to retrieve a pitcher of fresh spring water and poured a glass.

Heero rolled his eyes at his friend's antics as he took another sip of the steaming caffeinated beverage. Duo was being so over dramatic.

"Here you go." Relena said, concern still splashed across her face.

"Thanks, Princess! You've got some great tasting water here." As he swirled the liquid around in the crystal glass. "I'm good as new!" Reassuring her.

"Can I get you anything to eat?" Relena asked in a motherly tone, still concerned about her friend.

"Well…" Duo tapped his cheek with a finger while he pondered. "What do you recommend?"

"I'm not the best cook but I do make some really amazing French toast. I could scramble eggs and I think we have bacon," Relena offered to Duo, then glanced over at Heero who was just looking at her with a blank expression while drinking his coffee.

"MMM! Now you're talking!" Duo grinned as he rubbed his belly. "That sounds delicious! I'll eat whatever you decide to make."

"Alright," Relena smiled and turned to Heero. "Would you like anything to eat?"

Heero heard what she said but was completely hypnotized by how her lips moved and how incredibly beautiful they were this morning. His face slightly colored as he mentally undressed her.

"Heero?" Relena tilted her head.

Snapping back to reality, Heero quickly said, "Yes, I'll have the same."

Duo sat quietly as he watched the interaction in disbelief. Smiling to himself, he took another sip of water and thought, _Don't screw this up, buddy._

Relena got out the necessary ingredients, kitchen utensils, and cookware. Putting on a cute red apron with white polka dots, she strode over to the sink to wash her hands. Heero refilled his cup of coffee and turned around, running into Relena. Some of the coffee spilled onto the floor.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Relena blushed furiously.

Heero grabbed her arm to steady her and put his cup over to the side. "It's okay. I didn't burn you, did I?" His dark blue eyes were filled with concern as he looked her over for any sign of spilt coffee.

"No, I'm fine. I think it just got on the floor."

He nodded and sighed in relief, then released her to grab a towel to wipe up the mess. "I'll make the eggs and bacon while you make the French toast."

"Really?! That would be so helpful!" Relena cheerifully replied.

Heero and Relena reached for the same egg out of the carton, his hand covering hers. His touch lingered for a moment while his eyes ran over her. "Ladies first," he said, pulling away his hand.

Blushing furiously, she remembered the last time he said that particular phrase to her. She shyly smiled as she took two eggs and broke them in a large stainless steel bowl whisking them together, adding milk and vanilla to the mixture.

Heero waited patiently, enjoying her reaction to him and watching her cook. He had never seen her perform any household duties before. It surprised him how much he was enjoying himself right now. Being near her, being with her… He would have enjoyed it even more if Duo hadn't been there. As mouth watering as the food sounded, he would much rather have her on the countertop for breakfast.

Side by side, they made breakfast together while stealing glances at one another while the other one wasn't watching. Duo watched in amusement as Heero and Relena bumped into each other occasionally while they cooked. Heero plated the eggs and bacon on to three separate ceramic dishes. Relena followed his lead and strategically put the toast on the plates, then dusted some powdered sugar on top.

"Looks great," Heero picked up the three plates and balanced them on one arm like a waiter and grabbed Relena's cup of coffee for her while she poured heated maple syrup into a glass dispenser. He waited until she was seated to serve breakfast.

"Boy! This looks great!" Duo rubbed his hands together while ogling the food before him.

Heero took a seat next to Relena and gave her a small smile. Together they all ate and enjoyed their breakfast. Duo belched and exclaimed, "My compliments to the chef!" Satisfied, he patted his stomach while Relena giggled like a schoolgirl and Heero just stared, looking rather annoyed, at his friend across the table.

"Oh, before I forget, here's a little something from me to you." Duo winked as he handed her a thumb drive.

Relena jumped up from her seat, went over to the other side of the table and wrapped her arms around Duo's neck, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you so much! You're so sweet!"

Heero glowered at the scene before him.

Duo nervously held Relena as he looked at his friend. "Uhhh… You're welcome! It's only some songs that I thought you'd enjoy while you recuperate."

Heero's eyes narrowed at him and Duo lifted his hands off of her but Relena still had a firm grip around his neck. With another peck of his other cheek, Relena released him from her grasp. "I'll treasure this! Thanks, Duo!"

"Anytime, babe! I'm gonna hit the shower before I take off. Y'all have fun on your little honeymoon, I mean vacation!" Duo waved as he quickly walked away.

Heero was about to give Duo another piece of his mind but Relena blocked him. She nudged him and playfully whispered, "If I didn't know any better, I would think you're jealous."

"Hn." Heero took another sip of coffee.

Poking his firm chest, "You _are_ jealous!" Relena laughed before planting a kiss on his mouth.

"We better get going soon. We don't want to get stuck in traffic," Heero said, changing the subject.

"There's never any traffic," Relena retorted.

"Get your butt in the car," Smirking, Heero gave her a playful smack on her rear.

Relena giggled as she turned to walk away. "I need to finish packing first."

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

**An hour later…**

"Relena!" Heero yelled up the stairs. _What's taking so long?_

He decided to go and check on her for the fourth time. Blinking, Heero couldn't believe his eyes when he entered her bedroom. "Good Lord! What in the world did you pack?"

"Only the essentials!" Relena sat on top of an overflowing suitcase, stuffing random bits of clothing in as she zipped it up. She stood up and put her hands on her hips admiring her handiwork.

"Ready?" Relena grabbed her purse and left Heero do to the heavy lifting.

"Like an hour ago…" Under his breath, Heero seethed.

"I heard that!" Relena yelled from outside of her bedroom.

"Hn." Heero picked up her six bags while still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that she had packed this much. _Women_. He was starting to sound like Wufei.

While Heero loaded up the car with their luggage, Relena downloaded and configured the music into her playlist. She stopped to look up at her handsome bodyguard getting in the smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss, leaving her wanting more as he pulled away to buckle up.

"All set?"

"Yup! I just downloaded all of the songs from Duo. I wonder what he chose because there weren't any titles listed." Relena wondered.

"Hn."

"Let's find out! Duo has great taste in music so I'm sure it will be good." Relena turned on the audio and selected "01". The music began to fill the car and Relena burst out laughing. Heero rolled his eyes and took a deep breath, readjusting his hands on the steering wheel.

"I love this song!" Relena proclaimed excitedly as she began to dance and sing...

**I need a hero!  
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night!**

Relena couldn't help but sing louder noticing the small smirk on his face.

**He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast!  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight!**

She was really getting into the song while Heero looked over at her and lost it. He couldn't help but smile and laugh at her antics. Relena beamed back at him and cherished his laugh. She almost forgot what his laugh sounded like. It had been so long since she last heard it. She was glad that she was the reason, the one who could make him laugh.

**I need a hero!  
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light!  
He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life!**

The song ended and Heero focused back on the road. She was a distraction, absolutely memorizing, the way her lips and body moved. Heero loved seeing this side of Relena. She was so happy and carefree, like a normal teenager. _Normal. _He wondered if she would have been able to have a typical teenage life if they had never met on that fateful day on the beach. _No need to dwell on the past. It can't be changed. What is important now is what happens next. _Heero glanced over at Relena who was humming along to "A Never Ending Dream" while she looked at the window.

Heero really hadn't thought about the future. He never needed to. His life primarily consisted of missions; he received orders from Doctor J and executed them. But that was all behind him now. For the first time in his life, he was able to decide what he wanted to do. He had a new mission; a mission to protect her from those who threaten her life and her ideals. _Relena…_ Over the past year, their relationship had slowly evolved and developed into something completely new. Heero was still trying to figure it all out but he knew one thing for certain… she was his future.

"Heero?" Relena brought Heero out of his train of thought.

"Hm?"

"What are you thinking about?" It was a shot in the dark but Relena really wanted him to open up to her. He was slowly beginning to do so and she didn't want to push too hard. Then again, if she never pressed him, he may never fully open up to her.

"The future."

Relena's mouth fell open. "What?"

"I'm just trying to figure some things out."

"I see. What do you want, Heero?"

He thought for a moment before responding, "You." Relena's heart stopped beating. "I want to be with you."

Frozen in disbelief, Relena was at a loss for words. _He wants me? He wants to be with me?_ "Who are you and what have you done with Heero?" she demanded.

The corner of his mouth curved up as he glanced over at her.

"Relena, I… I feel things when I'm with you. Things that I've never felt before."

"Heero…"

"I don't know what the future holds but I want to be a part of your life...if you'll have me."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Relena gushed at him.

Heero offered Relena his hand and she readily accepted it.

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

As they approached the spaceport, Relena glanced down at their joined hands, wondering if he would pull away first or if she should. While she debated on what to do, she looked up at him to him intently focused on the road and their destination just a few miles away. _Wow. That was fast._ She looked at the clock. They made it to the spaceport in less than half the usual time it took to get there. Well, he was a Gundam pilot afterall. No… not just any Gundam pilot. He was Heero Yuy, 01, the pilot of Wing Zero. He was the best of the best. He didn't earn the nickname the Perfect Soldier for nothing.

Relena smiled thinking about the time she spent outside Wing Zero's cockpit. Despite her pacifistic beliefs, she marveled at the way his fingers flew across the controls as he typed in last minute adjustments and commands. _I'm sure he would have kissed me if it weren't for those blasted helmets. _Her happy demeanor was suddenly replaced with that of a rather annoyed and frustrated one. Without looking, Heero could sense the change in her and, without missing a beat, asked, "What's wrong?"

She wanted to reply _Nothing,_ but she couldn't lie to him. He would see right through her. He always did. One glance at his piercing deep sapphire eyes and she was a goner. Instead, she replied with the truth. "I was just thinking about the time I tried to convince you not to go and fight." Well, part of the truth. _Would you have kissed me, Heero?_ Her eyes sparkled with hope.

He smirked, knowing she was referring to those damn helmets. Pausing to think about how he wanted to respond, he considered and weighed his options and the potential consequences. _Should I tell her? Why shouldn't I tell her? She deserves the truth, doesn't she? What will she think? Or better yet do? I wanted to kiss her. _He made his decision and blurted out, "yes," his eyes found hers for a moment before focusing back on the road, "but if I had, I never would have left."

Instead of rejoicing in his confession, she was overcome with sadness. She hated when he left her, especially when he left to go fight on some mission. "I always hate when you leave." She broke their eye contact and again looked down at their joined hands, wondering when he would leave her again. Heero squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"I know. I didn't want to leave, but I had to. I had to say goodbye. I needed to focus on my mission to defeat Zechs. You were right; we both knew I was planning to die. But when I was faced with destroying the chunk of Libra falling to earth, I realized I wanted to survive." Heero looked back at her with his eyes full of emotion and gave her one of his rare smiles. "You… you were the reason I wanted to live, Relena." Tears filled her aquamarine eyes as she took in his words. She would treasure them forever.

Heero continued, "So, I guess we should be thankful for the damn helmets."

"I suppose you're right," she seceded with a sigh.

"I usually am." He shot her a mischievous look.

For the second time today, Relena's mouth fell open. "Heero Yuy! Did you just make a joke?!" She pulled her hand from his to give him a playful smack on the arm.

_You make me do things I never thought I could. _

He continued to smirk as he pulled up to the private travel security gate. It was only when he rolled down the window to flash his Preventer badge did he put back on his emotionless mask.

_Heero…_ She was thankful for every moment, for every word, and for every glance that they shared together. She treasured these fleeting moments and prayed that one day, they would become more frequent. A part of her wished that she could heal his scars and erase every single moment that had ever caused him pain.

"What the hell?!"

Relena snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Heero to see what had caused his outburst. He was looking in the rearview mirror. He put his arm behind Relena's headrest, threw his McLaren into reverse, looked back at his target and gunned it.

"Heero!" Relena braced herself by holding on the door and the dashboard.

He rolled down the window again. "What are you doing here?" Heero asked in his deep monotone voice that was currently filled with annoyance.

"Well, hello to you too!" Duo put his hands on his hips.

"Duo!" Relena leaned over the middle console to see her friend.

"Answer the question," Heero demanded.

"You know you almost killed me!" Duo screamed at Heero.

"Key word. Almost," he retorted.

"You should be thanking me! I noticed you guys weren't here yet. Here I am, mister nice guy! I got your shuttle all fueled up and ready for take off. What took you so long anyways?" Duo lifted up his black sunglasses and winked at them.

Relena blushed furiously.

Duo continued, "You're never late. That's very un-Heero of you."

Heero got out of the car, slamming the door in the process. Duo nervously scratched the back of his head as his best friend came closer to him.

"Answer the question," he demanded again. Heero hated having to repeat himself.

"My flight was delayed," Duo finally replied.

"Hn." Heero looked back at his car as Relena got out. He snapped his head back to look at Duo. "Holding Out for a Hero? Really? That's the best you can do?" Heero asked.

Duo forced a laugh before throwing his hands up in surrender and shrugged. "Anything for the little lady. She's injured n' all."

Heero glared at him before turning towards the awaiting aircraft. "Thanks for getting the shuttle ready, _pal_. Would you mind helping Relena with her bags?"

He waved off the compliment as he gave him a toothy grin. "Anytime, buddy!"

Heero headed towards the shuttle while Relena half ran over to Duo. "Did he just thank you?!" She asked, not believing her own ears.

"Yeah… he did. Weird… I don't think I've ever seen him this happy before. You must be good." Duo gave her a knowing look and winked at her again.

"Duo!" She smacked him hard on the shoulder.

"Ouch! You've got quite the arm there, Princess." He rubbed his sore arm before popping open the trunk to retrieve her luggage. "Good God! How long are you planning on being dead?!" Duo looked back at Relena.

She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "I need options! You never know what the weather will be like."

Duo rolled up his sleeves and bit his tongue that was protruding from his big mouth. Determined to make only one trip to the aircraft, he picked up each of her six large and overstuffed suitcases one by one, strategically placing the handles over his arms.

"Are you sure you got it? I can take one." Relena offered.

A strained muffled response came from behind a suitcase positioned in front of his face. "No, no. I got it."

Somehow, Duo made it up the stairs and on board the shuttle where he immediately dumped the cargo. He stormed up to the cockpit where Heero was doing a quick run through of the take off sequence.

"Making me do all the heavy lifting! Some boyfriend you are."

Heero just smirked.

"Jerk!" Duo whipped around so quickly Relena had to duck to miss his whip-like braid.

Relena looked back to see a very angry Duo climb up and over her mountain of luggage. She heard him say, "Just wait until…" but she didn't quite get the last part of what he said before the door locked into place. Sighing, she made her way up to the cockpit.

"Heero?"

"Hmm?"

"What time will we get to my mother's?" She asked.

"On time," Heero replied as he flipped switches up and down, preparing for take off. "You should take a seat."

"Alright." Relena started to head back to the cabin when Heero caught her hand.

"You stay right here with me." He pulled her close and kissed her like he would have in the cockpit of Wing Zero if it hadn't been for those damn helmets. He relaxed his hold so she could take her place at his side.

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

**Darlian Mansion**

They pulled up to the main entrance where Pagan and the other staff, adorned with black mourning bands, were waiting. For a split second, Relena wondered who they were mourning when she caught a glimpse of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation's flag at half mast. _Oh yeah… Everyone thinks I'm dead._

Heero handed her a black wrap and large sunglasses to put on. She finished putting on her disguise just as Pagan opened the passenger door, "Miss Relena, welcome home."

She wanted to give him a big hug but she composed herself and calmly said, "Thank you, Pagan. It is wonderful to see you. How have you been?"

"Very well, Miss Relena. Mrs. Tilney has been filling me up with pumpkin pie and cookies."

Relena laughed, "She's a wonderful baker. I can't wait to try all of the desserts!" Turning back to Heero, who was scanning the surrounding areas for potential threats no doubt, she continued, "Just wait until Christmas, Heero. She really outdoes herself. She makes dozens of various cookies, pastries, and fudge!" He retrieved his bag along with some of her luggage and walked toward them.

"Mr. Yuy, pleasure to see you," Pagan greeted him warmly.

"Good to see you, Pagan."

Pagan motioned for the footmen to collect the bags from Heero. "Harry and Edward will take your bags up to your rooms."

Pagan led them into the grandeur foyer, taking their coats. "Excellent, thank you. I think I would like to have some tea. Is mother home?"

"No, Mrs. Darlian left early this morning to go into town for a social engagement."

"That's alright. I wouldn't expect Mother to rearrange her plans since we came on such short notice. We'll take some tea in the east sitting room."

"Very good, Miss Relena." Pagan turned to leave.

Heero looked around, taking in the opulence of Relena's childhood home. It looked so familiar from the outside but it would be familiar since he had meticulously studied the floor plans and security, wouldn't it? His eyes narrowed as he tried to shake the feeling that he had been here before. "This way," Relena tugged on his hand leading him down the ornate corridor.

Relena pulled him into the sitting room. "This is one of my favorite rooms in the house." She pulled open the French doors and stepped out onto the balcony that overlooked the ocean. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes." Heero said looking at her. _Very beautiful. _The sun highlighted Relena's golden hair, creating a halo around her. She radiated beauty and elegance. The wind whipped around, covering her face with several strands of hair. She tried desperately to tuck the locks behind her ear. Heero completed the task for her and captured her inviting lips.

Pagan cleared his throat as he set the silver tea set down louder than necessary. Relena pulled away blushing. "Thank you, Pagan."

"Of course. Do you require anything else?"

"No, thank you. That will be all." Relena walked back indoors while Heero closed the French doors.

"Very good, Miss Relena. Ring if you need anything." Pagan gave a slight bow before exiting.

Relena turned to Heero, lifting the flowery teapot. "Would you like some tea?"

"Sure." Relena poured a cup for Heero, then one for herself.

"You have to try these cookies!" She handed him a teacup and saucer with one sugar cookie cut in the shape of a heart.

Heero took a bite out of the perfectly iced cookie. "Mmm… This is delicious." He quickly devoured the rest of it.

Relena giggled before taking a bite herself. She closed her eyes, chewing slowly to savor the sweet treat. "I've missed these so much."

"Tell me about your home. I don't know much about your former life."

Relena reminisced about her hometown, her adopted parents, and her favorite things to do before the war turned her life upside down. Heero listened intently to Relena's beautiful voice eloquently describing her past. He nodded and made some small noises in acknowledgment.

"Does your mom have horses?"

"Yes, we have a stable with several horses. I would love to ride Cinnamon while we're here but it is probably too much of a security risk with everything happening now."

"If that's something you want to do, I'll make it happen," Heero offered.

"Really, Heero?! Oh, that would be wonderful!" She leaned over on the settee to give him a kiss. "Thank you! You are so good to me."

Duo's words came back to Heero. _Anything at all for the one you love._ Yes, he would do anything for her.

Heero walked over to the table to set down his cup of tea on the tray. "I need to do a security sweep. Why don't you get some rest? You look tired."

"That's a good idea. I wouldn't mind a little nap. I still haven't fully recovered." Relena winced as she rolled her shoulders.

Heero's body moved on it's own and leaned down to give her a quick kiss, "Go get some rest. Call me if you need anything." He wasn't sure what just happened or why but he was glad to see that she seemed to enjoy the kiss. He would do anything just to see her smile.

Blushing from his kiss, she swallowed as she tried to compose herself. "I will," she said as the pink tint in her cheeks deepened as she thought about last night's activities.

Heero smiled at her, lingering for a moment to admire her before nodding and leaving the room. The more time they spent together, the more he seemed to open up; the more he could be himself.

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

Heero was just wrapping up the adjustments to the security system when Pagan approached him.

"May I have a word, sir?"

"There's no need to be formal with me, Pagan. What is it?"

"Always straight to the point. Well, I'll cut to the chase then. I couldn't help but notice how close you and Miss Relena have become." Pagan waited for Heero to explain himself but Heero was waiting for him to continue. Seeing as Heero would not explain further, Pagan continued, "She is the closest thing I have to a granddaughter."

"I will protect her."

"Ah, but what are your intentions? She is young and vulnerable. A young ladies' heart is a very precious thing and needs to be protected."

"I wouldn't dream of hurting her."

"Good, because I would hate to have to shoot you." Pagan threatened.

The old man then left Heero alone to consider his words.

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

Relena rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up in bed. Glancing over at the clock, she realized she had slept for three hours. "Goodness, I had better get up." She muttered to herself as she walked over to her vanity. After inspecting herself, she decided to change into something less wrinkled from sleep.

She was just about to head downstairs to search for Heero when her mother entered the room. "Relena, you're home."

"Mother!" She ran over to her mom to give her a hug. She pulled back to look at her dress. "What are you wearing?"

"Well, I had to play the grief stricken mother while I was out so naturally I had to wear this hideous black dress."

"Oh. I guess I keep forgetting that I'm supposed to be dead. It's just been a crazy couple of days."

"Relena...I've missed you so much. I was so worried about you. How are you? How badly are you injured? Are you in any pain?" Mareen sweeped her eyes over her body looking for any sign of injury.

"I've missed you too, Mother. Yes, I was shot, but don't worry. I will live. Thankfully, my dress had a Kevlar liner in it so it didn't do any significant damage. I just have sore ribs and some rather nasty looking bruises." Relena pulled her cardigan aside to show her mother the extent of her injuries.

Mareen lightly touched her discolored skin. "Oh, Relena! How awful!" she gasped in horror.

"It was. But Heero has been taking care of me."

"Heero? The Gundam pilot? I thought he was in school."

"Yes, he was. After I was taken hostage during my birthday party, he told me that he decided to become my head of security. I'm sorry. I thought I told you. I guess it slipped my mind. I've been working a lot. We have so much to catch up on."

"You're growing up too fast. I have missed so much the past few years." Mareen replied with saddened eyes.

"I'm sorry. I will make more of an effort to call and come home more frequently. I've missed you. Plus, I still need my mom." Relena embraced her mom once more, squeezing her as tightly as her wound would allow.

"Relena, I understand how busy you must be. Your father was always working, whether he was home or not. Just don't work too much."

"I'll try not to. I don't think Heero will let me overexert myself anyway. He's been very attentive."

"Attentive? Is something going on between you two?"

Relena blushed, remembering their early morning delight. "Yes. You know how much I like him."

"Yes… You did chase him all over the world. Does he have any feelings towards you?"

"He hasn't come out and said what he feels exactly, but I can tell he cares for me. He's incredibly sweet and there's a look in his eyes..."

"Hmm… Be careful, Relena. You are very young and I don't want you to rush into anything." Mareen advised.

"I'm not. We've known each other for two and a half years. He's become so much more than just a bodyguard. I rely on him for so many things. I just don't know what I'd do without him. Didn't you meet Dad when you were just teenagers?"

"Yes, we did. I met him when I served as a lady in waiting for Queen Katrina. Your father, well, he was Lord Darlian then. He was so handsome and such a gentleman. He was also the best dancer in court." Mareen smiled, remembering her younger days.

"I wish he was still here. I miss him." Relena put her fist over her heart.

"Me too, dear. I think he would be very proud of you. You've accomplished so much in such a short amount of time." Mareen sat Relena down on the settee and kissed the top of her head. "So, tell me more about Heero. Is he as handsome as I've heard? I'm eager to meet him."

Mareen brushed Relena's hair as she recounted how she met Heero on the beach and that he briefly attended St. Gabriel. However, she decided to leave out the small detail about ripping up her birthday invitation and his death threat. She went on to tell her mom how he shot down the remaining block of Libra, saving the entire world from destruction. She recounted how he saved her during the Mariemaia Incident and from the Epyon de Telos terrorists.

"He sounds like a very brave young man."

"He is. I know you'll love him as I do."

"Well, let us go downstairs and find him."

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

They found Heero in the library sitting in a worn brown leather chair near the crackling fireplace reading. As they approached him, he snapped the book shut and set it on the end table next to him. He stood up to greet them.

"Heero, I want you to meet my Mother." Relena gestured to her mom as Heero rose from the chair. "Heero, this is my Mother, Mrs. Darlian. Mother, this is my… this is Heero, Heero Yuy." Relena pondered what Heero was to her. _He's not just my bodyguard. He's not just a friend. He's so much more than that._

He took Mrs. Darlian's hand and kissed the back of it as he bowed. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Darlian."

"My, what a gentleman you are! Do call me Mareen, Heero."

"As you wish."

_He is very sweet, indeed. _"Relena tells me that you are head of her security. I suppose you are the one I must thank for keeping her safe."

"I do my best. Relena is a very special person to the world and to me. I would give my life to protect hers."

"That's very honorable of you, Heero." Mareen looked over to Relena who was clearly unsettled by the topic of death. "Although, I think my daughter would prefer if you were alive."

"Yes, I don't know what I would do without you, Heero. Who will protect me if you are gone?"

"Well, hopefully you'll never have to find out." Heero smiled down at Relena and changed the subject. "Relena tells me you have horses. We were hoping to go for a ride tomorrow morning. Would that be possible?" Relena was glad of the change of subject.

"Yes, of course."

Heero was struck by what Relena said… Who would protect Relena if he was gone? It was something he did not want to think about, especially since his relationship with Relena was just beginning. Nonetheless, his death was necessary to plan for.

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

Heero surprised Relena with his social skills and knowledge of formal dinner etiquette. He knew exactly what silverware to use and how to hold them.

She was so happy that her mom genuinely liked and got along with Heero. Although, she wasn't sure why she was concerned in the first place. Her mother had always been very kind to others. She often found the good in people, a trait Relena must have gotten from her.

After dinner, Relena snuck downstairs to the kitchen to visit her good friend, the cook, Mrs. Tilney. She had never been married but insisted on keeping the tradition of being called missus when she accepted the position. Relena had always suspected Mrs. Tilney was soft on Pagan. Although, she had never said anything to confirm or deny her feelings to Relena.

Despite Mrs. Tilney's reserved nature, Relena was an open book. She told her all about Heero, how they met… yes, the true story, how he threatened her and later saved her, on more than one occasion. She even told her of his sweet kisses and kind considerations without going into too much detail.

Relena mentioned Heero really enjoyed her cookies. Mrs. Tilney offered to host a sugar cookie baking class for them tomorrow evening. Relena readily quickly accepted her sweet invitation and left to change into some comfy pajamas.

01101000 01101111 01101101 01100101

"Heero?" Relena quietly asked as she tiptoed into his room.

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, covering her mouth as she was about to scream.

"Shhh, it's just me," he whispered in her ear before kissing her neck, releasing her just enough for Relena to turn around and smack him on the arm.

"Heero! You scared me!" She scolded.

"You shouldn't sneak into someone else's room then."

"How did you know anyway?!" She huffed.

Heero pulled her close. "As head of your security, I have access to every blueprint, including this house. I called ahead and requested that I have this room because of it's secret entrance. It's perfect in case of emergencies or in this case, scaring you."

Relena was about to protest but Heero covered her mouth with his and kissed her. He felt her relax in his embrace.

"Heero…"

"You should get some sleep, Relena."

"I will. I just…" _I just wanted to kiss you._ "I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Goodnight, Relena." Heero gave her a chaste kiss goodnight. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Okay… Goodnight!" She stood up on her tippy toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She walked to the secret door and looked back at Heero one last time before she closed the door and went to bed.

Heero heard her get in bed and immediately wished he was in it with her. She looked so cute in her pink flannel pajamas. He wanted her to repeat last night's rendezvous and wake up to her in his arms, but he needed to think.

He kept thinking about what Pagan said. _What are my intentions? My intentions… I protect her. I care about her. I want to be with her._ His mind jumped to what Relena said. _Who will protect me if you are gone? Gone… She didn't say dead. I'm not planning on leaving. I don't want to leave. _His chest hurt at the thought of leaving her, whether he was alive or dead._ Duo says I love her, but I don't know what that even means. I don't know what it feels like to love or be loved. Do I? _

Heero laid down in the enormous bed and put an arm behind his head, contemplating the future. _Relena..._

Their conversation from the car replayed in his mind.

"I'm just trying to figure some things out."

"I see. What do you want, Heero?"

"You. I want to be with you."

_I just want you, Relena. Why are emotions so damn complicated?_


	6. Life is Sweet

**Disclaimer: **It is with great sadness that I announce to you all that I do not own Gundam Wing.

**A/N:** Happy Friday Friends! Thank you all to my amazing readers! Please R&R as well as F&F! Your messages and reviews are what keep me going so I really appreciate your feedback! :D I love you guys! This may be my last chapter for Broken for a few weeks. I will be doing a lot of unexpected traveling and working a lot so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to get published.

Thank you to whatsyourpathology, Revy679, Ninjette Twitch, and JenJenGundamFan for looking this bad boy over and giving it your two cents. Your feedback is invaluable and this story would not be what it is without y'all! XOXO Be sure check out their stories!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Life is Sweet**

Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to. - Forrest Gump

A cry in the cold Autumn night sent shivers down his spine. His eyes shot open, his hand grabbing his 9mm handgun from underneath his pillow before he jumped out of bed. She let out another blood curdling scream for him once more. He loved when she called out his name, but this… this sound made his heart sink and fear for the worst. He didn't bother to knock on the secret door before he barged in, his firearm ready to shoot whoever dared to hurt her.

Alarm? None. Windows? Secure. Door? Locked. Heero scanned her room for every possible entry and found nothing, except for her. She threw her head side to side in an apparent nightmare. He re-engaged the safety and set the gun on her bedside table as he leaned over the bed trying to assess the situation. Moonlight spilled through the sheer white curtains onto the bed revealing a furrowed brow and a sheen of sweat on her beautiful face.

"Nooo! Don't go! Please don't go…" she began to cry as she tossed and turned. Heero's heart sank again seeing her in pain… in pain because he had left her. Determined to ease her suffering, he whispered her name and brushed away her dampened bangs. She continued to thrash around, so he spoke louder.

"Relena, wake up!" He shook her shoulders in an attempt to wake her. It worked; her eyes flew open. They were filled with sorrow, fear, and something else Heero couldn't quite place.

Relena threw her arms around him and began sobbing. Wide eyed and unsure of what to say, he just wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Her sobs gradually morphed into muffled cries.

Smoothing her hair, he whispered into her ear, "Tell me about your dream."

Relena only clung onto him tighter. "Don't leave me, Heero."

He closed his eyes and brought her closer still. "I'm not leaving, Relena." He trailed kisses from the crown of her head to her temple. His hands cupped her cheeks as he gazed down at her. His heart broke at the sight of her red and puffy eyes that still threatened to spill tears. "I'm here, Relena. I am not leaving you." He told her once more.

Sniffling, Relena shook her head and firmly replied, "You are leaving. They are going to take you away from me."

Confused, he searched her eyes for an explanation but no more words came from her trembling lips. "Relena… I will always protect you." He sealed his solemn promise with an all consuming kiss. Momentarily coming up for air, he whispered against her lips, "even in your dreams."

She succumbed to his words and let him devour her. It felt so good to be kissed in such a way that she forgot what she was thinking. All she wanted was him. _I never want this to end_, she thought to herself when he bit her lower lip and pleasure rippled through her body. But her mind screamed at her, _you know this will end_.

She broke away breathless. "Heero…" Her eyes began watering again. "I know you're going to fight again. I don't want you to go…"

"Shhh, it's going to be okay. Forget about the investigation."

"No! I can't just forget about it, Heero! I don't want you to fight," she argued while she cupped his face in her hands, her eyes pleading with him to understand.

"Relena…" he growled. "It's my job." He took one of her palms and planted a firm kiss in the center and brought it to his chest, pressing it firmly against his heated skin. "Do you feel that?"

She felt the strong rhythmic thump beneath her palm and nodded.

"My heart… Relena... It beats for you." His eyes gave away every emotion, every feeling he was experiencing in that moment. She couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from his, even when he said, "Nothing, I mean _nothing_, will keep me away from you."

"Heero…"

His mouth covered hers, silencing any rebuttal she had been preparing. When his tongue found hers, she forgot what they were even talking about. He had always had the extraordinary ability to make her forget herself.

"We should get you out of these clothes. You're all sweaty." Heero was already working on the buttons of her shirt as she agreed with a quick nod of her head, kissing him with open mouth.

As soon as the last button came undone, he brushed the fabric aside, feeling her nipple hardened as his fingers danced over it to cup her exposed breast. With his help, Relena wiggled free of her shirt and sent it flying across the room. She clawed at his green tank top until it was up and over his head. His shirt landed on the floor near hers.

His fingers found her waistband and roughly tugged her flannel pajama pants and her underwear down. Lifting her legs ever so slightly, he undressed her and discarded the clothing. He positioned himself between her legs and propped one of her legs up so her foot was over his shoulder. He held her steady as he turned to kiss her inner ankle while toying with her wet folds.

Relena bit the back of one of her fingers so she wouldn't cry out. She had already made quite the commotion and she didn't want any of the servants to barge in now.

Heero watched as she unsuccessfully tried to contain herself when his finger entered her. She cried out and arched her back in such a way that made it impossible for him to ignore her breasts. Leaning down, he licked one of her hard buds then began to suck while massaging the other with his hand. Just to see her reaction, he added another digit inside of her. He wasn't disappointed. Relena fisted the sheets and threw her head back crying out his name in pure pleasure.

He continued to make love to her with his hands and mouth to bring her release. His cock throbbed within his pants as he desperately wanted and needed to come but he would serve her first. She needed this. She needed him.

"Heero!" She cried out as her orgasm overcame her.

He removed himself from within her and brought his dripping fingers to her mouth to clean. She licked, sucked and slurped on them while looking up at him through those beautiful long eyelashes. When she had finished, she sat up and slammed her mouth against his, knocking him backwards. Heero pulled her down with him as they continued to kiss. Her creamy legs straddled his torso as she sat on him, dripping her essence onto his perfectly sculpted abs. They kissed for a few more moments before she began heading south toward his hard member. Her tongue traced his many scars on her journey. She dipped her hand inside his pajama bottoms and found his velvet covered steel leaking pre-come. Heero lifted his hips and pushed his pants down enough to give her better access. Before she went down on him, she looked up at him and took his hand in hers and placed it on the back of her skull. She held it there when she licked the liquid trailing down his head and began to suck. Her lustful eyes watched his glazed over eyes as she began to take him into her mouth. His eyes widened in surprise when she pushed on his hand to force her to take more of him. She was giving him permission. Smirking, he gladly accepted and grabbed a fist full of her hair and pushed her all the way down on his cock. Relena held onto his hips as she let him have his way with her. He pushed her down on him as he thrust up into her. He sped up as the pleasure began to build up within him. Not long after, he exploded inside of her and didn't release her head until she had sucked him dry. When she finished, he came up to capture her lips. They repositioned themselves so they were laying the correct way on the bed. Relena let Heero settle into his spot before she laid down and snuggled into him. He held her close and whispered sweet nothings into her ear, occasionally nibbling on her lips and kissing her. Soon they fell asleep in one another's embrace, Relena peacefully slept knowing that her soldier was there and would always protect her.

01110011 01110111 01100101 01100101 01110100

Relena woke early to find that Heero had already left. She yawned and stretched, blinking away sleep and to adjust to the sunlight pouring in. Taking a glance at the clock, she discovered it was only 7:12am. Then she remembered how Heero liked to complete a morning security check bright and early at 6:30. She smiled to herself as she looked about the room, seeing her clothes haphazardly strewn about.

She dressed quickly and raced downstairs to find Heero, except he was nowhere to be found. Sighing, she made her way to the dining room for some breakfast. Pagan informed her that Heero had not had breakfast yet due to an important phone call, regarding the investigation. Thanking her trusted butler, Relena made her way back upstairs to take a quick shower and get ready for their riding date. _Hopefully his call won't take too long_, she thought.

Relena dressed in her favorite dark blue riding crop and did her hair in a loose braid off to one side. Her designer black leather riding boots clopped as she nervously paced back and forth while she waited by the back entrance for Heero. He appeared with a chocolate croissant in his mouth. Relena giggled as he walked towards her, watching as he quickly finished his breakfast.

"Morning, beautiful." Heero leaned down to kiss her. Flushing at his morning greeting, she eagerly accepted his kiss. He tasted like chocolate and bacon.

"Mmm, you taste good." She licked the remnants of chocolate from the corner of his mouth.

"Do I?" Heero backed her into a corner and kissed her again. Relena broke off the kiss to catch her breath. Heero's tongue swirled small circles on her neck just below her ear before he lightly bit and sucked on her porcelain skin.

"You taste good, too." Heero flamed the fire burning within her with his seductive touch and sexual innuendos.

"Heero… I thought we were going to ride horses this morning."

Heero pulled back to look at her in the eye. "You can always ride me," he offered.

Relena's eyes widened as she reprimanded him, "Heero! The servants will hear you!"

Heero released her, smirking. He was teasing her and she knew it. "Come on, show me your prized horse you keep talking about."

Frustrated, sexually and relationally, she blew her bangs so they puffed out as she ran to catch up with Heero.

Relena's horse, Cinnamon, fittingly named after for the mare's reddish-brown coat, was an American Saddlebred, 16 hands high, with a good strong back; perfect for riding. Cinnamon neighed loudly as she saw Relena grab a handful of peppermints. Relena held out her hand flat and let Cinnamon have the tasty treats before leading her out of the stall. Heero secured two hands on either side of Relena's waist as he gently lifted her onto the saddle.

A groom brought over a beautiful jet black Arabian stallion appropriately named Midnight. Heero and Midnight stared into each other's eyes, a silent understanding passed between them. He was the perfect match for Heero as he was just as strong and dangerous as his rider.

Midnight was fast, but Cinnamon would give him a run for his money. She may be sweet and gentle, but she was certainly a force to be reckoned with. She was quite spirited in her own right.

Heero and Relena raced across the expansive countryside estate. Relena was a vision to behold. She was a master horsewoman and Cinnamon obeyed her every command and whim. He enjoyed seeing her take charge. He smirked to himself as he imagined her riding him like that.

"Heero?" Her angelic voice brought him out of his lustful thoughts.

"Let's stop up at the top of the hill. There's a beautiful view." She pointed to the west of them with her riding crop.

"I'll race you there!" Before Heero could react, Relena had gotten a head start. She turned back for a moment to see a slightly surprised and an even more determined Heero behind her.

Relena came to a halt and exclaimed, "I won!"

"Hn."

"I can't believe I just beat the infamous, Heero Yuy, pilot of Wing Zero, in a race. I will never forget this moment." Relena playfully boasted.

"You had a head start," he replied dryly.

"A disadvantage never stopped you before," she teased.

Heero dismounted and tied up Midnight to a low branch on a tree. He turned and walked purposefully towards Relena.

"Heero?"

A sly smirk appeared across his face as he reached up to Relena and pulled her down from her horse. He pushed her roughly up against the trunk of the tree and kissed her hard. She lost all train of thought as his tongue danced with hers. He released her lips to gaze into her bright blue green eyes that seemed to smile back at him.

Suddenly, Relena sniffed at the air. "Heero, do you smell that?"

Perplexed, Heero quirked an eyebrow at her. "Smell what?"

"I smell snow."

"What?" He was still confused at the sudden change in the atmosphere.

"It's coming. I always know it. I can smell it and I'm never wrong," She said confidently.

"It wasn't in the forecast."

"It's just my favorite time of the year. The whole world changes color. Flakes, flurries, swirls, crystals, whatever form it comes in." Relena looked up at the sky like a kid looking in a candy shop. Her eyes were bright, filled with joy and her cheeks were stained crimson from the cold November breeze. Heero couldn't take his eyes off of her. He had never seen her so happy.

"I'll take it, we go back, snow and me. We have a beautiful history." Relena glanced at him. She took a step toward him and grasped both of his hands excitedly.

"Sleigh rides, ice skating, snowball fights! I'll even take curling. God, I love curling." She was beaming at him. _How could she be so excited about snow?_

"Hot cocoa. Hot totties. It's the best time of the year," Relena exclaimed, bouncing up and down in excitement.

"It's not snowing," Heero bluntly replied.

"It's going to! I can smell it! Oh! This is the best time of the year!" Relena released him and looked up at the sky as snowflakes began to descend. She laughed as she spun around, twirling with her arms and face raised to the sky. "Oh, Heero! Isn't it wonderful?!" Heero just stood there, taking in her joy little by little. He had never experienced the little things in life. Maybe it was time he started to. After all, this was a new world, a world that he and Relena built together. It was time he started to learn how to live in this new world… with her.

Relena stopped twirling and ran over to him to jump up and give him a kiss on his chapped lips.

"Heero… do you know why I love snow so much?"

"..." He waited for her to continue.

"Snow… it's a fresh start. A new beginning. It covers everything in a blanket of pure white. Don't you see, Heero? We can't change the past, but we can start over with a clean slate. We have the whole world in front of us now."

"Relena…"

Relena held his face in between her dainty hands as she gazed into his dark blue stormy orbs. "You are not defined by the actions of your past, Heero Yuy. I love you. God, I love you so much, Heero. And nothing will ever change that."

Heero replied by capturing her cold lips in a heated kiss. _I don't deserve you but I hope someday to be the man that you deserve._

The wind started to pick up and the snow started falling in heavy sheets, obscuring the mansion from view. The horses grew restless and began to neigh loudly. Heero relaxed his hold around Relena and kissed her one last time on the lips before escorting her over to Cinnamon. "Come on, we better get back before you turn into a snow angel."

Relena giggled. "I think you mean, a snowman."

"Hn."

Heero lifted her with ease so she could mount Cinnamon. Then, in one swift motion, he mounted Midnight. "Stick close to me. It's getting harder to see." She nodded and followed his lead back to the mansion. She had grown up here but she didn't have the faintest idea where she was. Thankfully, Heero seemed to have an internal compass that seemed to always know where he was.

01110011 01110111 01100101 01100101 01110100

After returning the horses to the stable, Heero brought Relena into the library where he started a fire for her. Whether she admitted it or not, she was freezing and needed to warm up quickly or else she would get sick. Heero sighed to himself as she protested him wrapping a throw around her. _She is so stubborn._

"Relena, I don't want you to get sick. Please warm yourself up by the fire. I'll go get us some tea."

Relena didn't respond. She just stared into the fire. _Was it something I said? She's so moody. I thought she liked the snow… _Heero contemplated Relena's change in behavior and couldn't find a logical reason for it. He remembered that Duo said sometimes women just have mood swings and it's best to not get on their nerves when they are like that. _But how do I do that? I don't even know what's bothering her..._ Heero finally made his way to the kitchen and found Pagan sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper.

"Is there something you need, sir?"

"Call me Heero, Pagan. I came to get some hot tea for Relena and I. We just got back from our morning ride. It's quite the blizzard out there."

"Ahhh, yes, Miss Relena loves the snow. I'm surprised she didn't make you stay out there and build her an igloo." Pagan chuckled to himself as he nibbled on a cookie.

An older woman rounded the corner into the kitchen. "Well, well, well! You must be Heero! I've heard all about you."

"All good things, I hope."

"I'm Mrs. Tilney, the cook. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Heero Yuy. It's a pleasure."

"Quite the gentleman, I see. Well, perhaps you and Miss Relena would like to join me later to bake some of my famous sugar cookies. What do you say?"

"I'm sure Relena would love that. What time should we come down?"

"Oh, just come down anytime after dinner, deary."

Pagan had finished preparing a tray for them and offered to bring it up.

"Thank you, Pagan, but I think I can manage." Heero took the tray and nodded towards him and Mrs. Tilney. "See you this evening."

Mrs. Tilney cheerfully smiled at him and waved goodbye with her wooden spoon.

01110011 01110111 01100101 01100101 01110100

Heero and Relena sat down in the dining room while the footmen finished bringing in tray after tray of various d'oeuvres, BLT sandwiches, broccoli salad, and more of those delicious heart-shaped sugar cookies that Heero loved.

"Will that be all, Miss Relena?" One of the footman asked.

"Yes, I think we can take it from here. Thank you, Harry."

He nodded and exited the room with the other footmen, leaving them all by themselves.

"This is quite the spread," Heero said as he looked over the numerous options.

"Yes, Mrs. Tilney has really outdone herself this time."

Heero filled his plate with at least one of each food. He set down his plate and walked across to the opposite side of the table, waiting for Relena to finish picking out what she wanted. His eyes wandered over her body as she picked up a sandwich. _Her ass looks great in those tight blue jeans._ She turned around and flashed him a broad smile. He pulled out the chair for her and pushed it in as she sat down.

"Thank you, Heero. You really are quite the gentlemen."

"Hn."

They ate their lunch in silence. Relena couldn't help but notice that Heero grabbed two cookies. Their shape reminded her of the love she felt for him. The love that she openly admitted to him this morning. But he didn't say anything in return. She wanted to know where they stood… if they were lovers, dating, or… nothing at all. The thought of not being with Heero panicked her and made her stomach drop. She wasn't hungry anymore. Her fork slipped from her grip and clanged loudly on the fine china. At that disturbance, Heero looked up at Relena.

"Is everything okay?"

"Heero… what are we doing?"

"We're having lunch."

"Yes, I know that." She threw him a look. "You know what I mean."

Heero took another bite of his sandwich, looking at Relena as if waiting for more information.

"Heero, what are we? What am I to you?"

Heero set down his sandwich and wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin, looking in his lap as he pondered what she said. What are we? What am I to you? _I don't know…_

Relena sensed his hesitation and assumed rejection. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Heero looked up at her. "Relena… I don't… I mean…" Taking a deep breath, he started again with more confidence, "Relena, I care about you. You make me feel things… Things I have never felt before."

A tear rolled down her cheek. Heero got up and went over to her. He crouched down by her side and cupped her face to meet his eyes, "Please don't cry. I like you a lot but I don't know what that means. Not yet anyway."

"Heero…"

Heero silenced her with a finger to her lips. "I know that's probably not the answer you were hoping for, but it's how I feel. I can't lie to you. This is all I can do for you."

"Oh, Heero!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. She loosened her grip to look at him. "I just.." She bit her lip in anticipation or worry.

"Relena, if you're worried about me leaving, I already promised you I'm not going to. If I do leave, you're coming with me. Got it?"

"I know… That's not what I'm worried about. I just want you to choose what you want to do with your life. I don't want to control your life, Heero."

"If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be. I want to be with you. I chose you, Relena." Heero leaned in close and captured her lips. His kiss made her lose her train of thought. All of the worry, gone in a second.

"Heero…"

"Believe in me."

"Always."

01110011 01110111 01100101 01100101 01110100

Heero was walking down the main corridor when he heard Mrs. Darlian's voice. "Heero, is that you?" He went into the sitting room. "Oh good! I was hoping to see you. Could I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course," he nodded.

"Heero, I just wanted to personally thank you again for watching out for my daughter and keeping her safe. It isn't the easiest task, I'm sure."

"Relena is rather spirited. She keeps me on my toes."

"Oh, I can only imagine. She has always been very stubborn and strong headed. When she was four, she negotiated out of a time out," Mareen chuckled as she remembered her little girl.

_That sounds like Relena._

"I can tell Relena is very fond of you. I, myself, am rather fond of you as well. Please do take care of yourself, Heero. Not just for Relena's sake, but for yours."

"Yes, ma'am. I intend do."

"Well, I better let you get to your cooking lesson with Mrs. Tilney." Mareen signaled to the door.

He gave a slight bow before exiting the room.

01110011 01110111 01100101 01100101 01110100

**The Kitchen**

"There you are, Mr. Yuy!" Mrs. Tilney screeched. "I was wondering if you had changed your mind."

"Sorry, I was delayed." Relena raised a suspicious eyebrow at him.

"Well, let's not dilly dally any longer, shall we?" Mrs. Tilney began to set out the ingredients on the island. "This is my top secret recipe. You mustn't share it with anyone or I'll skin your hide." She shook her wooden spatula as if it were a sword, ready to kill.

"Understood," Heero replied.

Relena giggled at the pair.

"Good." Mrs. Tilney rolled up her sleeves as she walked over to the wall. She retrieved two aprons and gave them to her students.

"First rule of baking is that you always wash your hands." Heero and Relena washed up while Mrs. Tilney continued to get various kitchen utensils out.

"Alrighty, Heero, I want you to sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in this bowl. Relena, put the softened butter and sugar into the mixer. Beat it for about a minute."

They finished with their tasks and looked to Mrs. Tilney. "What's next?" asked Relena.

"Heero, I want you to very carefully and very slowly add the flour into the mixing bowl while Relena gently mixes it." Relena turned on the mixer on a high speed, creating a plume of flour.

"Oops! Sorry about that."

"Good heavens, child! Cookies aren't made that quick. It's a process, dear. Now watch me do it." Mrs. Tilney demonstrated which setting it should be on before relinquishing the mixer back to Relena.

"Okay, I think I can do that."

Heero looked over at her, covered in a light layer of flour. "Are you sure?"

Relena giggled at his appearance. "Yes, I'm sure." She switched on the mixer to the correct speed and Heero gradually added in the rest of the flour mixture.

"Okay, keep mixing until the cookie dough starts to pull away from the bowl," Mrs. tilney instructed.

"Like this?" asked Relena, not wanting to make anymore mistakes.

"Yes, that's perfect! Good job! Now turn off the mixture and divide the dough into two equal parts. Heero, be a dear and get the plastic wrap for me."

Heero retrieved the plastic wrap as requested. strategically wrapped the dough and placed it in the fridge.

"We will leave the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours, then bake the cookies. I made up some cookie dough earlier today so you wouldn't have to wait."

"Oh goody!" Relena bounced excitedly and clapped her floured hands, making yet another cloud of flour. Heero gave her a look as he gently put his hand over hers and lowered them. She blushed in reply.

Noticing the loving exchange between the two of them, she smiled and procured the heart shaped cookie cutters and turned on the oven.

"Relena, sprinkle some powdered sugar over the island where we're going to roll out the cookies. Heero, unwrap the cookie dough and place it in the middle of the counter. Good! Now, Relena, I want you to dust the rolling pin with powdered sugar and start to roll out the dough."

She began to try to roll out the dough but she was having a bit of trouble.

"Put some elbow grease into, Miss Relena. Don't be shy."

Relena nodded and rolled up her sleeves in determination. She put all her might into rolling out the dough, but still wasn't making much progress. Sighing, she stopped and dropped her head in defeat. Heero come up from behind and placed his hands over hers. "Like this." He pushed the rolling pin down and out with precision.

"Ohhh!" Relena exclaimed, lighting up once again.

Heero smiled at her, inches away from her face. He looked down at her lips and he was just about to kiss her…

"Oh! What are we making here?!" Pagan inquired, looking around the kitchen.

Heero's head snapped away from Relena and he refocused on rolling out the dough with her. Relena couldn't help but smile and laugh.

"I'm teaching them how to make my special sugar cookies!" Mrs. Tilney proudly exclaimed.

"Those are my favorite. You are an excellent baker, Mrs. Tilney," Pagan complimented.

"If you keep talking like that, you might just get a few," Mrs. Tilney replied with a wink.

Mrs. Tilney handed them the heart-shaped cookie cutters after Heero and Relena had rolled out the dough to a quarter inch thickness. "I think you two know what to do from here." They pressed down the cookie cutters and put the newly stamped hearts onto the cookie sheets. Mrs. Tilney put them into the oven while Pagan snuck some cookie dough from the leftover dough.

"You better not be eating that cookie dough, Pagan."

"I haven't the slightest idea as to what you are referring, Abby."

"Pagan, you know very well what I mean." Mrs. Tilney put in another sheet of cookies into the oven. She turned around and placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Hmm… I wonder how that flour got on your chin. Really, Pagan, you're slipping."

Pagan blushed as he dusted off his chin. Relena chuckled into her fist as Heero covertly slipped Pagan some more cookie dough.

"Well, I'll leave you all to it. I'll be back later when the cookies are ready to eat."

"We'll ring you when they are done."

Pagan nodded and stuffed the cookie dough into his mouth as he left the kitchen.

"Oh, dear! I forgot the food coloring. I'll be right back." Mrs. Tilney padded out of the kitchen down to the food pantry.

Heero grabbed Relena by the waist and pressed his mouth against hers. He gently bit her lower lip, which in turn made Relena gasp at the sensation. Heero took full advantage of her now open mouth, quickly finding her tongue and tagging it a few times before running his tongue over her teeth. Relena tingled all over from his kiss. She pulled away to catch her breath. Heero kissed her again while caressing her sides with his hands until he heard footsteps coming down the hallway. He smiled as he touched his forehead to Relena's. He brought up a piece of cookie dough to Relena's lips for her to eat. She took it and Heero's finger into her mouth. He removed his finger and put it in his own mouth sucking the remaining dough off of it. Mrs. Tilney walked back into the kitchen with several small jars of food coloring.

"Sorry about that! Now where were we?"

Relena's face was flushed the same color as the pink food coloring that sat in front of them. She glanced up at Heero, giving him a small smile while opening the container.

"I already mixed up the icing but you two can add the coloring in."

Heero put the food coloring in while Relena mixed it. She grabbed a silicone spatula and scraped the sides then mixed it some more. She stuck the spatula back in and brought up a big blob of pink icing.

"What do you think?"

Heero compared the icing to her blush. "I think it needs to be a little darker." He got some red food coloring and added it in for her to mix. She scraped the sides and mixed it a few times before it was perfectly blended together.

"What about now?" She held up the spatula covered in dark pink icing.

It was a perfect match to her rosy cheeks. "It's perfect." He said smirking at her. Relena beamed up at him.

The timer went off, startling Relena and causing her to flick the icing on Heero's apron.

Embarrassed, she apologized, "I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine. That's what aprons are for. Right, Mrs. Tilney?" He reassured her.

"Yes, that's exactly right," she said as she took out the cookies. "These look delicious! I'll transfer them onto some wax paper to let them cool. Then, you two can ice them. While you wait, you can have some tea." She proceeded to pour them each a cup of tea.

Relena wasn't quite sure when she had prepared the tea but she was thankful to have something to drink. Heero must have been thirsty as well because he quickly drank his cup. Mrs. Darlian walked in just as Mrs. Tilney asked, "Did you make cookies a lot growing up?" Relena looked down into her teacup, saddened by the knowledge that Heero didn't have any parents.

"No, I didn't. This is my first time making cookies," Heero replied without displaying any emotion. "My parents died when I was young and I don't have any other family. So I never really had the opportunity." He filled another cup of tea.

"Well, I'm certainly glad you could make some tonight. There's no better teacher than Mrs. Tilney. Isn't that right, Relena?" Mrs. Darlian chimed in.

"Yes, she's absolutely wonderful," Relena complimented. "And very patient I might add!"

Heero nodded and took a sip of tea. "Yes. You all get along so well. It must be nice to have a family."

Relena's heart felt like it had been stabbed. _Heero_… Before she could say anything, her mother replied, "Family is the greatest blessing one can have, Heero. Consider yourself adopted. Look no farther, your family is right here." She smiled lovingly at him before giving him a gentle rub on his back.

A flicker of emotion passed over his eyes. Relena leaned over and grabbed Heero's hand and gave it a squeeze.

_Family huh?_ Heero looked at Relena, who was still holding his hand, and smiled. _Relena… my family…_ He subconsciously rubbed the back of Relena's hand with his thumb as he thought about the possibility.

"I think the cookies are ready to ice!" exclaimed Mrs. Tilney, snapping Heero out of his deep thoughts.

"Would you mind if I help?" Mrs. Darlian inquired.

"Not at all, Mother. Join us, but make sure you grab an apron and wash your hands."

They each got a knife and began icing the sugar cookies. It wasn't too long before they completed icing all of the cookies. Heero left to go find Pagan.

"Mother! How could you say that to Heero?! We're not even dating!" Relena nearly whisper yelled in exasperation.

"What? Well, it looks to me like you two are," Mrs. Darlian casually replied.

"I agree. Maybe he just needs a little push," Mrs. Tilney offered.

Relena gaped at the pair of them. "Hello! I'm right here!"

"Yes, we know dear. Has Heero mentioned anything to you about wanting to date? Didn't you two go out for a horseback ride this morning? That's awfully romantic. Wouldn't you say, Mrs. Tilney?" Mrs. Darlian asked.

"Oh, yes! Very romantic indeed. Especially since it began to snow out there while you two were riding."

Relena heard Pagan and Heero chatting. "Shhhh, stop talking!" Relena seethed.

The two older women laughed as the men entered the kitchen.

"Goodness, what's the fuss all about?" Pagan asked as he snatched a cookie from the counter and took a bite.

Heero picked up two cookies and handed one over to Relena. "I made this one for you." She looked down and couldn't believe her eyes. Heero had somehow made roses on top of the heart cookie.

"It's beautiful!" Relena gushed at him before taking a bite. "Mmmm! It's yummy too!"

They all ate a few cookies while drinking some tea. Mrs. Tilney cleaned up the kitchen and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Heero chuckedly inwardly when he noticed Pagan sneaking a few into a napkin before he left to head off to bed.

"Thank you for the tasty treats. I better be off to bed now or else I won't be able to get up tomorrow." Mrs. Darlian touched Mrs. Tilney's shoulder and gave her a look.

"Oh yes, I had better get to bed too." She shrugged out of her apron and walked out of the kitchen.

Heero looked over at Relena who was sitting at the end of the island. Although she was covered in flour and her hair was completely disheveled, Heero had never found her more attractive. _Relena… Family… Would she really want to marry me?_ Relena felt his gaze and looked up at him with twinkling eyes. "Yes?" she asked. _Yes. I think she might._ Heero leaned in close to her and kissed her.

"I was just thinking."

"Stop thinking and kiss me."

"Yes, ma'am." Heero didn't need to be told twice.

01110011 01110111 01100101 01100101 01110100

Relena ran down the hallway giggling. She looked back to see Heero chasing her. She screamed when he caught her around the waist, spinning her around.

"You can't get away from me," he growled seductively into her ear.

Relena wiggled as she tried to get out of his grasp. Heero pushed Relena up against her bedroom door and lifted both of her hands above her head. Holding them up in one, he reached down in between her legs to rub her.

"Damn, you're so wet."

Relena moaned as he continued to tease her. "We can't… Not in the hallway."

Heero released her from his hold to open the door and pulled her inside, shutting and locking the door in one swift motion. He backed her against the door once more as he worked on the buttons of her flour covered blouse. He helped her remove it and flung it across the room. Relena tugged on his shirt up and over his head. Heero leaned down to kiss and suck on her neck that had been abruptly abandoned this morning. He reached behind her to undo her bra. _What the hell? Where's the clasp?_ He stopped to assess the confounding article of clothing. Relena laughed a little as she looked at the perplexed expression of her lover's face. She put a hand on his taut chest and pushed him back further. Relena flipped her hair behind her back to give Heero a clear view. Relena bit her bottom lip as she slowly and tantalizingly untied a bow between her breasts and released her breasts from their confinement. Her pink nipples hardened when the cool air touched them.

Heero visibly swallowed as Relena continued to remove the rest of her clothing. He unbuckled his pants, which were dusted white from earlier, and pushed them and his underwear down. His impressive manhood sprung up in anticipation to greet her.

They walked closer to one another as if they were pulled by an invisible string. Heero wrapped one arm around her waist and another cupped the side of her face as he brought her closer to himself, pushing his erection against her stomach. Her breath quickened at the sensation.

Relena rubbed his cock while he massaged one breast with one hand and kneaded her ass with the other. A pleasurable moan escaped her mouth when Heero bit her earlobe.

"Heero…"

He was just about to pick her up to take her to bed when his phone rang._ Damn it!_ He groaned into her shoulder before reaching for his pants to retrieve his phone. Relena whimpered as he left their warm embrace.

"I'm sorry, Relena. Just give me a moment." He gave her a quick kiss and disabled the camera as he answered it.

"What is it?" his voice cut.

He closed his eyes and angrily shook his head before glancing over at Relena.

"Roger that. I'll be there soon."

"What's happened?"

"Trowa found the terrorist cell and we're going in."

"No, Heero! I don't want you to fight."

"I have to go Relena. It's my job." He kissed her forehead. "Please let me fight."

"No! I won't let you!"

He silenced her with a passionate kiss.

"I don't have much time, Relena." He eyes conveying a need.

"We can do it quick."

"I don't want to rush this. I want it to be perfect."

"Heero…"

He kissed her again.

"Umm.. we could… you know…" Relena averted her eyes as she spoke.

Heero looked at her expectantly, gently caressing her face, trying to figure out what she was trying to say.

"Umm… we could 69." Relena's cheeks burned at the thought.

_God yes!_ "Are you sure?"

"Yeah… that way we can both… you know… pleasure ourselves at the same time."

Heero didn't waste another moment. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. He carried her over to the bed and sat down with Relena on his lap. He scooted them back onto the bed so they were both fully on it. He laid back and admired the goddess sitting on top of him, her center leaking onto his stomach. He couldn't help but reach up to fondle her breasts. He had wanted to make love to her tonight but it would have to wait. He didn't want to rush things and she deserved perfection. As Heero pinched her nipples, Relena reached behind her to give his rock hard shaft some attention. He thrust his hips up in response.

"Relena…" He breathed out. He reached down to her hips and grabbed her ass. With lust filled eyes, he commanded, "Come here," and pulled her forward.

Relena was hesitant to sit directly on his face. "Move back a little more. I want to taste you." His words gave her the courage she needed to position herself above him. He rewarded her by slowly running his tongue from the bottom to the top of her lower lips. She cried out in pleasure.

"You want more?" He asked before flicking his tongue over her love button. She cried out again. "You're going to have to turn around if you want more." He lightly kissed her entrance.

Relena raised up on her knees and turned around on the bed. _Why did I do this? He's going to see everything! _Heero helped adjust her position to exactly where he wanted her. Relena lowered herself to be parallel with Heero's body, his erect penis bobbed in front of her. She licked his entire length and took him into her mouth.

Heero marveled at the sight in front of him. _She's perfect._ He was mesmerized by her going down on him. He loved the way her breasts bounced and grazed his abs as she sucked him, and how the evidence of her arousal trickled down her pussy and the way her tight asshole clenched when he spread her ass cheeks apart. He really wanted to finger her ass as he ate her out, but he wasn't sure if she would go for that or not. He would try that another time, when there was time. Reminding himself that he had to leave soon, he got down to business… all up in her business. He ran his tongue up and down her slit before thrusting it inside her. He thrust his hips up at the same time.

Relena gagged as he infiltrated her throat. Heero loved the taste of her sweet honey. He inserted one finger and pumped it in and out a few times before inserting another one. Relena gasped when Heero began to suck on her clit. He loved making her sound like that. He sped up thrusting his fingers in and out of her. Her walls were beginning to tremble, letting him know she was close. He was close, too, but he wanted her to come first. And she came… her jizz shot out of her and covered Heero's face. He lapped up what he could. After Relena recovered from coming, she resumed sucking his cock with new enthusiasm. Heero grabbed her head and held it in place as he thrust repeatedly into her mouth. Relena moaned and the sensation sent him over the edge. He came inside her mouth. She sucked on him as she swallowed his cum.

She rolled off of him and laid on her back. Heero repositioned himself next to her and kissed her lips to give her a taste of herself. Their tongues danced together as he explored her mouth.

"Did you like it?" She asked cautiously, unsure of what his response would be.

"No." She froze before he continued. "I loved it." He kissed her again. "You're so hot, Relena." He trailed kisses down her neck.

"Good. I was so afraid I was going to... "

"Fart?" He offered. Her face turned beet red with embarrassment. Heero chuckled and looked back up at her. "You didn't and if you did it would have been okay. It's only natural." And with that, he let one rip. Relena burst out laughing.

Heero's phone buzzed, bringing them out of their laughter. "I need to go now."

"I don't want you to go," Relena whined.

"I love you."

* * *

**A/N:** I'm not going to tell you who said it. Hehe! You'll find out later though! :P

Don't you just love Mrs. Tilney?! I want some of her homemade sugar cookies!

For all of you "Gilmore Girls" fans you might have recognized this quote:

"I smell snow. It's coming. I always know it. I can smell it and I'm never wrong. It's just my favorite time of the year. The whole world changes color. Flakes, flurries, swirls, crystals, whatever form it comes in. I'll take it, we go back, snow and me. We have a beautiful history. Sleigh rides, ice skating, snowball fights! I'll even take curling. God, I love curling. Hot cocoa. Hot totties. It's the best time of the year!"

I love Lorelai's infatuation with snow and I envisioned Relena being just as passionate so I just had to include this quote. Obviously, I didn't write it and I certainly don't own the rights to Gilmore Girls. If you have never seen the series, I highly recommend it! It's one of my all time favorite shows.


	7. Live Free or Die Hard

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned GW!

**A/N:** To my readers, thank you so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following. Your feedback keeps me going! The past few weeks have been especially rough so I greatly appreciate your support and love! Sorry for the delay on this chapter but life happened and I had to do a lot of unexpected travel. *sigh*

Alas, Chapter 7 is finally here and is unlike the beginning of Broken. The past few chapters have been a lot of fluff but this chapter gets back to the real world. This was by far the hardest chapter for me to write, so I hope you all enjoy it!

As always thanks to my amazing betas, Ninjette Twitch, Revy679, and whatsyourpathology! Love you guys! Please go check out their works!

* * *

**Last time in Broken...**

Heero's phone buzzed, bringing them out of their laughter. "I need to go now."

"I don't want you to go," Relena whined.

"I love you."

* * *

**Chapter 7: Live Free or Die Hard**

A maid quietly entered Relena's room to open the blackout curtains. Relena groaned in protest as sunlight invaded her slumber. She peaked out from underneath her covers and slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning, Miss."

Relena let out another long groan as she stretched. "What time is it?"

"It's 7:00 am, Miss."

"Thank you, Abbi."

Relena sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she looked over at her bedside table. There was a bouquet of at least two dozen freshly cut roses in a crystal vase and a note at the base. Smiling, she picked up the blank envelope and opened it.

Next time I'll give these to you in person. Enjoy the snow while I'm gone. I'll be back in a few days.

In rose,

Heero

"Oh, Heero…" She clenched the envelope to her chest, suppressing the urge to tear it in half. Laughing at how far they had come, Relena got up to smell the roses. "Come back to me, Heero," she whispered as she put a fist over her heart.

Glancing towards the frosted window, she delighted in the view of the winter wonderland. She knew she was in need of far warmer attire than yesterday. Afterall, it was the best time of the year and she wanted to go play in the snow. After perusing through her extensive wardrobe, she decided on her maroon wool sweater with khaki corduroy pants and an oversized scarf. Admiring herself in the full-length mirror, she wished Heero was here with her. She wasn't sure what he would say, if anything, but she was sure of one thing... he would rather have her undressed. Closing her eyes, she traced the invisible trail of kisses that he left as a parting gift; a reminder of their previous activities.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

"Good morning, Pagan." Relena had finished her breakfast just as he walked in.

"Good morning, Miss Relena. How was your breakfast?"

"Delicious as always. I'll have to compliment Mrs. Tilney on her french toast."

"Yes, she is really quite talented." Relena smiled knowingly at him. Pagan had a crush on Mrs. Tilney for years but never did anything about his feelings. _Maybe, I can change that…_ She began scheming.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Heero drove all through the night in order to reach the designated rendezvous point on time. He smirked as he looked at the car dashboard to see that he had even arrived a few minutes early. He had been slightly concerned earlier that he was going to be late due to their fun activities last night.

_Relena…_

A SUV came flying in and screeched violently as it pulled in across from Heero's car. _Duo must be driving. _Wufei got out from the SUV first, yelling expletives and how disgraceful Duo's driving was. Duo and Trowa exited the vehicle next. Duo stretched and let out a big yawn. "Hey there, buddy! Did ya miss me?!"

"Hn."

"How's your honeymoon going with the Princess?"

Heero shot Duo his signature death glare, daring him to say one more word. Duo nervously scratched the back of his head before turning his attention to the SUV to retrieve the artillery.

Meanwhile, Trowa opened a manila folder on the hood of the car with surveillance photos and background checks. "Heero, you'll want to see this." He made his way over to the former Heavyarms pilot and looked down at the documents. "Here are the blueprints of the terrorist's compound. They call themselves the Knights of Britannia." He pointed to one man in particular with short black hair and brown eyes. He looked like a prominent businessman, definitely someone with a lot of money, based on his attire. "This is their leader. His name is Henry FitzWilliam. He was previously the Duke of Sussex. He was a part of Romefeller and a close friend of Treize Krushranada. Many of his followers were enlisted with OZ. One of his motives for trying to assassinate Relena is likely the fact that she dissolved countries and helped create the ESUN which left him without a kingdom or power to rule in the United Kingdom. We received this message yesterday."

_I was disappointed that you didn't put on more of a show for us at the Gala. I'll never forget the look of your face when your perfect little princess was shot. Now that she is gone, we can finally have peace. Join us, 01._

Heero looked back at the pictures and files, memorizing every detail as he read the reports.

"Do you know who this guy is?" Wufei asked.

"Not a clue, but he seems to think he knows me," Heero said dryly.

Trowa leaned back against the car and crossed his arms. "We'll need to be careful then. He may know who we are, as well." Pulling out another aerial photograph, he pointed out that there weren't any direct roads that go to the compound. "We'll have to go on foot."

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Duo shivered.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Relena pulled on her snowpants before putting on her winter boots and coat. Mrs. Tilney, already dressed for the winter weather, handed her a faux fur hat and a matching set of pink gloves. She gave her thanks as she pulled on the rest of the winter gear.

"Come on, deary. We mustn't keep Pagan waiting." Mrs. Tilney opened the door, letting in a burst of cold air. She smiled as they stepped outside. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes._ I love the smell of snow._ Suddenly, she was bombarded with snowball fire. Her eyes flew open as the frozen water made contact with her face. Ducking behind a bush, she expertly made a few snowballs while she waited for the perfect opportunity.

Unknowingly, Pagan stepped right into her path. Bam! A snowball directly hit him square in the back. Another hit him in the leg. Pagan tried to make his way behind a row of bushes but Mrs. Tilney nailed him right in the face.

"Good shot, Mrs. Tilney!" Relena squealed.

Dramatically, Pagan collapsed into a large pile of snow with his hand over his heart. "You've got me," he wheezed out like he was dying.

Relena ran over to him laughing. When she was a little girl, he always did this and she always came to the rescue after taking him down. However, this time she allowed to save him. Mrs. Tilney offered him a hand which he readily accepted. But instead of letting her pull him up, he pulled her down into the snowbank with him. "Oof!" Watching the two, Relena couldn't help but smile at their antics. She came over and flopped backwards next to Pagan and made a snow angel.

Together they made a family of snowmen. Relena went inside to get some coal, carrots, buttons, and other snowman necessities. When she went back outside, she found Pagan and Mrs. Tilney warming themselves up. She quietly stepped back inside the house to give them some privacy. Well, just a little. She peaked through the window to watch them kiss one another. They looked like they were so in love. _I wonder if that's how Heero and I look like when we kiss. _

A few minutes later, she decided it was safe to head back outside. Pagan was walking towards the door when she stepped outside. "Ah, there you are Miss Relena." He took some of the items from her and they proceeded to decorate their snowmen, of which they named them George, Fred, and Ron.

"Let's go in for some tea, deary. I don't want you to catch your death." Mrs. Tilney waved for Relena to come inside.

"I'll be in soon. I'm going to go for a short walk to the ocean."

Relena trekked up the snow laden path towards the edge of the cliff and cupped her hands over her mouth as she yelled, "HEERO! I am right over here so come and kiss me!" Giggling, she remembered it wasn't so long ago that she was yelling from the exact same spot, except she was yelling for him to come and make good on his threat.

So much had changed over the past few years. She was once a naive young girl of a diplomat. Now she was a world leader, tasked with guiding this new world of peace. Despite how much she hated war, she had to admit that without the Gundams, without _him_, there would not be peace.

_Heero... _A single tear fell as she looked out over the ocean.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Heero looked up to the sky as if he had been called and thought of her. "Relena…" he barely said above a whisper. Duo smirked and shook his hand knowingly at his best friend. He knew the Perfect Soldier would never admit it, but he knew better. Heero missed her, like Duo missed Hilde. They both had something to fight for; someone to protect.

Preparing for their upcoming battle, the Gundam Pilots pulled on their tactical gear, complete with helmets fitted with night vision goggles. Heero didn't particularly need the goggles, thanks to the eye surgery Dr. J had forced on him as a kid. His vision was perfect without the goggles, but he wore them out of habit and to avoid suspension and questions.

A familiar voice came over the headset. "Hey, guys! Sorry I couldn't make it. I've had a lot of business meetings lately. But I'll be helping you navigate from space. I pulled up satellite feeds and thermal imaging."

"Quatre! Good to have you on board, buddy! Just like the good old days."

"Thanks, Duo!"

Not being one for small talk, Wufei got straight to the point. "What's the plan?"

"Well, it looks like you've got about a 12 mile hike through some wetlands before coming to a wooded area. There are a few small structures along the way so be prepared to meet enemy fire," Quatre warned.

Heero and his friends stealthily moved through the wetlands towards the terrorist compound. The Perfect Soldier expertly held onto his assault rifle as he scanned his surroundings, ever ready for action. He was trained for this. It was muscle memory; forever ingrained in him.

He hated that he still had to fight, but he would gladly fight for her, even _die _for her, if the mission called for it. Henry FitzWilliam was dead wrong if he thought he could assassinate Relena. The memory of her falling from the impact of being shot was not one he would soon forget or forgive. It made his blood boil. This was war; a personal war to protect the one he loved.

_Do I enjoy war? Do I enjoy the thrill of battle? There are times when I do. The times when I called myself a warrior. When I found my humanity in turmoil. But after I found her... Did I enjoy war? No! No, I didn't!_

Relena changed everything.

She gave him a reason to live; to live as a human being, not as a weapon. She was the only person who really saw him and understood who he was, despite all the horrific things he had done. Her confession replayed in his mind. "You are not defined by the actions of your past, Heero Yuy. I love you. God, I love you so much, Heero. And nothing will ever change that."

_Relena..._

A branch snapped in the distance, breaking his train of thought. Heero's impeccable hearing immediately picked up on the source, his eyes and gun focusing in on the disturbance. He let out a sigh of relief when a deer trailed out into his line of sight.

It was quiet. _Too_ quiet. Trowa motioned everyone to get down. The pilots maneuvered into position, looking for any signs of movement.

"Quatre, do you copy?" Heero quietly spoke into the radio.

"Yes, I copy. I don't see anything on thermal imaging or satellite."

"Something isn't right. They wouldn't leave this area unprotected." Heero said, thinking as he looked around. _There had to be a reason no one was around. There had to be…_ Suddenly, his breath caught in his throat as his head snapped to look over at Wufei. Locking eyes, they simultaneously said, "Mines."

"Psh! They wouldn't bury mines out here. Someone would have noticed." Duo waved off their comment and stood.

"Duo! Stop!" Trowa yelled and reached out to stop him from stepping on a metal object protruding out of the ground. Duo fell forward head first, disappearing into the murky water with a splash. No one moved a muscle, waiting until the braided pilot popped back up, gasping for air.

"Idiot!" Wufei grabbed him by his braid and yanked him up back up onto more solid ground. Spitting out some green gunk, Duo inspected himself, pulling off slimy plants that clung to him like sludge.

"Ugh! I got leeches on me! Gross!" Duo screeched. Trowa chuckled under his breath at Duo's misfortune. Wufei looked back briefly at his soaking wet comrade before rolling his eyes and muttering something about weaklings.

"Come on." Heero picked Duo up by his collar and pushed him forward. He didn't have time for his friend's antics when they had a job to do.

"They must like my blood 'cuz I'm so sweet n' all." Duo said, half heartedly laughing before he made a gagging face as he pulled one off and threw it back into it's watery domain.

"Leave them. We don't have time for you to groom yourself."

Color drained from Duo's face as his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "What?! I'll have no blood left!"

"The woods aren't much further, Duo. You'll be able to get them off once you're out of the minefield." Quatre sympathized with his accident prone friend.

"Is there anyway you can see where the mines might be?" Trowa asked hopefully.

"Don't move. I'm recalibrating the imaging software to show different soil types and metals." Quatre furiously typed as he gathered the information, the sound of the keyboard echoing over their radios. "Got it. There's dozens of mines in the wetlands. Duo narrowly missed the closest one to you. The next one is about 50 feet northeast of you. I'll alert you if you get too close."

"Roger that," Heero replied.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Relena stopped outside of the mahogany french doors and took a deep breath as she touched the cold brass handle. Mustering her courage, she pushed open the door and was hit with a bittersweet wave of nostalgia. She slowly looked around the room. Nothing had changed. She closed her eyes and imagined him sitting at his desk, probably scribbling down something important, and looking up at her when he would finally notice. She smiled at the memory.

Her smile fell as she opened her eyes. Taking a few steps forward, she ran her hand along the worn brown leather couch. She had so many heart to heart conversations with her dad on that couch. Whenever she was upset, he would hold her in his arms and smooth her hair. His voice was so calming. She loved listening to him read speeches to her. Oh how she missed him. She tried to imagine what he would say if he was here now but her mind couldn't conjure anything that would console her grief.

She walked over to his desk, pulled out the executive chair and slowly sank down into its welcoming leather embrace. Steadying herself, she put her two arms out flat on top of the desk. It almost didn't seem real. He had been gone for over two years, but sometimes it still felt like he was alive. Sighing, she picked up his pen, the "handy dandy pen" as he often referred to it. She twirled it in her hands a few times before opening the left side drawer for some paper.

She may be "dead" but she still had work to do. It was time she got down to business. She took a deep breath and began writing down her proposal for the Mars Terraformation Project to become the newest territory of the ESUN.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

After a treacherous hike through the gloomy wetlands, they finally reached their destination. Duo ran to a tree, hugging it tightly in his excitement. "Thank God! I've never been so happy to see a tree!" Taking off his rifle, he tossed it over to Trowa before stripping off his soaking wet clothes.

"Man… this is awful." Duo whined as he assessed his body.

"The view isn't much better," Heero replied before taking a swig of water from his canteen.

"Indecent!" Wufei barked as he sharpened his Chinese Dao.

Duo winced, making overly dramatic sounds as he pulled dozens of leeches off one by one, throwing them to the ground in disgust."Do I have any on my back?" Duo held onto his long braid and peered over his shoulder.

Heero was leaning against an oak tree, barely giving a glance to his pathetic excuse of a comrade. "Yeah."

"Could ya help me out?" Duo's eyes pleaded with Heero.

"No."

Trowa sighed and walked over, pulling off the remaining slimey black creatures.

"Thanks, _pal_!" Duo said loudly, thanking Trowa while glaring at Heero. Unaffected by Duo's poor attempt to recreate his death glare, Heero took another sip of his water. _Idiot._

"Oh for the love of God! Put some damn clothes on, Maxwell!" Wufei threw his clothes at him.

"We should get moving. We've been in one place too long as it is." Trowa handed a now dressed Duo his rifle. Wufei led the way, cutting through the thick brush with his Chinese Dao until radio static pierced through the woods.

"Quatre, do you come in?" Duo asked as Heero looked him over, waiting for a response.

"...five...watch...ahead." The message was breaking up and barely audible.

"I don't copy. Repeat transmission."

With his eagle-like vision, Heero spotted a lookout in the top of a nearby tree. He took aim, shooting him in his forearm and again in his kneecap, effectively rendering the enemy defenseless. The man screamed in agony as he fell to the ground.

"Holy shit." Duo clipped the radio back onto his utility belt and ran behind a tree with Heero for cover.

They watched Trowa use his acrobatic skills to get onto a tree branch where he struck down an unsuspecting enemy combatant with a single blow to the neck as he darted from tree to tree.

Heero and Duo lost sight of him as they silently maneuvered their way forward, deeper into enemy territory. Heero confiscated the fallen man's weapons, ID, and key cards before checking his pulse. _Good, he's only unconscious._ He was relieved he hadn't broken his promise to himself or to Relena.

He looked up to see Wufei engaged in a martial arts battle. It wasn't long before Wufei easily defeated the man in hand to hand combat. Heero joined up with Wufei while Duo snuck ahead and took out two guys by slamming the butt of his rifle into the backs of their heads. Tarzan Trowa swung down on a vine and landed in front of Heero and Wufei.

"Duo, do you read me? I think you got them all."

"There you are, Quatre! The signal went bad for awhile. I'll go tell the guys we got 'em," Duo said as he rushed to the other pilots, passing along the information.

Trowa pointed north, explaining that the compound was just up ahead. "We should make camp here and leave at dusk. It will be better if we reach the compound at night."

Heero focused in on his target. It wouldn't be much longer until he could take care of this Henry guy and get back to Relena.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Relena set down her handy dandy pen and let out a big yawn, stretching to relieve some of the tension that had built up through the course of the day. She sat back in the chair, admiring her hard work. It was finally done. Well, the draft was anyway.

Supporting herself on the arms of the chair, she pushed herself up and walked over to the window. Light snow was cascading down from the gray skies. She hadn't heard from Heero. Then again, she didn't expect to. He never called. He just always seemed to show up out of the blue, usually right when she needed him. Heero could handle himself. He was the most lethal person she knew. Still, she worried.

She touched the frozen pane of glass and whispered, "Heero".

Heero looked behind him up towards the sky. He could have swore he heard his name again.

"Relena…"

He needed to focus on his mission but his efforts were futile. She was always on his mind.

Trowa came up beside him carrying firewood. "You should get some rest while you can," he said, his words temporarily bringing him back to his current predicament.

Heero nodded and folded his arms as he leaned back against a tree, instantly falling asleep. Due to his training, he had learned how to fall asleep quickly while remaining alert. It had been a necessity in the war. Some habits die hard.

"Hey, Heero, wake up." Duo lightly shook his best friend's shoulder.

Heero looked over and simply asked if it was time to go. Before he left, he took inventory of his weapons and switched off the safety on his rifle. It was go time.

Wufei picked up his rifle and held it straight up with a bent elbow. "Ready?"

"Let's go get the bastard," Duo said as he flashed a wicked smile.

"Yeah," Trowa agreed.

Heero simply nodded and began leading the way. As they reached the edge of the woods, Heero estimated they were approximately 30 yards from the wall that surrounded the concrete compound. Crouching down, Heero assessed the situation. The main gate only had two armed men posted on the outside, with presumably many more inside. The lookout towers were strategically placed 20 feet apart from each other. _Smart._ But they had only one armed man each. _Dumbasses. It won't be hard to get inside. Then again, could Henry FitzWilliam be setting up a trap? He's expecting us, afterall. _

"Quatre, do you copy?" Heero radioed.

Static was the only reply.

_Damnit._ They were going in blind. It's not like they hadn't completed a dangerous mission before but this one felt different.

They all exchanged looks and didn't waste any time getting down to business. Duo and Trowa took off in opposite directions, shooting the guards in the towers while Wufei snuck up on the unsuspecting soldiers at the front gate, knocking them out cold with one swift motion. Heero punched in a code and opened the door. Like a swat team, Wufei went in first, gun at the ready, Heero and Duo followed closely behind. Trowa had scaled the wall and taken out three other guards on the inside by the time the other pilots reached the main building entrance.

Duo attached a small bomb to the keypad. With an ear splitting explosion, electronic bits went flying as the door easily gave way. The concrete hallway was dimly lit by old flickering fluorescent bulbs. Leaky pipes dripped onto the damp floor as they made their way down the main hallway, clearing the intersecting hallways and rooms one by one. This was too easy. There were barely any soldiers. Something just didn't sit right with Heero.

They came up to another door but before Duo could put explosives on it, a voice echoed out to them.

"01! There you are! I see you've brought some friends with you." The man laughed maniacally. "I wasn't expecting you to be so eager to join us. Come in, come in. I can't wait to meet your friends."

The door opened into a pitch black room. Even Heero couldn't see anything with his night vision goggles. _Fuck_. Suddenly, bright lights illuminated the room, temporarily blinding the pilots.

A slow clap to the right alerted them to someone's presence. Heero focused in on the man. "Henry FitzWilliam," he growled under his breath.

"Pleasure to meet you, 01." His lips turned up ever so slightly. "Or should I say, Heero Yuy?"

Heero stepped forward with his gun pointed at the man's chest. "What do you want?"

"Are you always so blunt?" Henry stood confidently with his hands crossed over the top of his cane.

Duo made a pfft sound in the background and muttered, "You have no idea…"

Henry ignored Duo and continued staring at Heero. "Right, then. Straight to the point. An admirable trait, wouldn't you say?" He chuckled again. "I want you to join me as my star pilot, of course."

"What makes you think I'd join you?" Heero asked pointedly.

"Well, you're here, aren't you? You had to be a bit curious." Henry tapped a finger.

"I'm done piloting. I won't pilot for you or anyone else. I'm done. I retired."

Henry clicked his tongue. "That's a shame. I was so looking forward to showing you my new doll." Henry smiled evilly at him before meeting the gaze of his other friends. "Perhaps your friends would want to pilot it instead. I must say she _really_ is quite a beauty."

Duo laughed lightly and said, "No thanks, dude!"

Henry's smile fell. "You wouldn't be a good enough pilot anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Duo barked as he began to step forward but Wufei blocked him from advancing any further.

"You really won't join me, Heero? Even after all the trouble I went through to get rid of that annoying girl for you. There isn't a reason left for you not to join me."

Heero's eyes narrowed at the mention of Relena.

Henry snickered. "It was a shame that I had to ruin that beautiful gown of hers. She really did look exquisite. Just ripe for the plucking, wouldn't you agree?"

_That's it!_ Heero took the shot, the bullet flying right through the man. _What the..._

"Ah, ah, ah!" Henry waved his finger at the shocked pilots.

_It's a hologram. _

Henry tapped the floor twice and the pilots fell into the abyss.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Relena jolted awake, her body covered in a sheen of sweat as she tried to catch her breath. Her eyes darted around the room as she tried to remember where she was. _Stay calm, Relena_, she told herself. _I'm safe._ Moments earlier, she felt like she had been free falling through darkness. _What a horrible nightmare…_ She glanced over at the clock. It was a little past 2am. "Heero…" she whispered into the cool night air of her bedroom. She slipped out of bed and into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. Steading herself by placing both of her hands on the counter, she concentrated on her breathing to try to calm her racing heart that was still pounding like a drum within her.

As she padded across the cool wooden floors of her room, she thought of Heero and wondered where he was and what he was doing at that very moment. Briefly looking up into the crystal clear night sky, she caught a glimpse of a shooting star and wished upon it.

Laying back down, she tried to quiet her mind but she couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. Relena squeezed her eyes shut, willing the disconcerning thoughts to go away and for sleep to come.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

His head was throbbing as he regained consciousness. Disoriented, he blinked a few times trying to see, but the bright light pierced his eyes. Heero grunted as he rolled over onto his stomach and struggled to push himself up, but his arms didn't seem to want to support his weight. He concentrated on breathing as his head hung in between his arms. It was then that Heero realized that he had been stripped of his swat-like armor and gear. _Fuck. _He reached down to his boot where he hid a knife in the ankle. _Shit. _It was gone too. Annoyed, Heero sat up on his knees and rocked back onto his haunches. Finally adjusting to the light, he looked around and none of his comrades were there. _Damn it._ He had no idea how long he had been out but he figured it hadn't been too long because he could still feel the effects of the tear gas that had been used.

Running a calloused hand through his unkempt chocolate hair, he contemplated about how he was going to complete his mission. He needed to get out of here, stop Henry, destroy the base and make it back to Relena. He felt bad leaving her when he said he wouldn't, but this was something he had to take care of. Henry almost succeeded in killing her. If it weren't for her Kevlar dress, she would have died. He closed his eyes as he remembered her falling backwards after she was shot. It still scared him. Almost losing her... hell, just the _thought _of losing her nearly killed him. He had to protect her. Protecting her… well, it was his lifelong mission, one in which he would never falter or give up on. She was the only thing he lived for. He owed her his life and that meant he would try and live the best life he could… with her.

"Relena…" he breathed out into the cold, dark room.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Duo groaned as he rolled from his stomach onto his back. _Mannnn… not again!_ Annoyed that he had been locked up yet again, he glowered as he laid on the cold concrete floor, taking a few minutes to adjust to his sore muscles before sitting up. Realizing his situation wasn't going to change if he didn't do anything about it, he opened his eyes to look around his cell but was blinded by the lights. He looked down for a few moments, blinking rapidly as he tried to get used to the fluorescent lighting. Huffing in frustration, he blew his bangs that were acting as a visor of sorts and reached into his ponytail. _Ah ha!_ No one ever searched his braid, it was too long and too thick to deal with. Smirking, he stood up and stretched, letting out a big yawn. He shuffled over to try and pick the lock of the old fashioned jail door. Hearing footsteps down the hallway, the pilot retreated to the shadows of the cell. As two guards passed him, he couldn't help but think, "You'll all die! Anyone who sees me has got a date with his maker!" Afterall, he was the God of Death.

Carefully listening for more guards, Duo worked fast, picking the lock within a few seconds. He dashed down the hall, only to run into some more soldiers. Literally. Surprisingly, he didn't resist and went with them. As they drug him by a cell, he yelled "Hey! Where are you taking me?! My cell is back there!" The soldiers looked at one another confused but then took Duo back to the cell that they just went past. Before opening the cell door, one of them punched Duo in the stomach and knocked the air out of him. And once the door was open, the other guard kicked him inside and slammed the cell door closed.

The floor was cold but the voice that rang in his ears was even colder. "Botched your mission? You couldn't destroy Henry's dolls and you didn't kill him and the others." Heero said dryly as he sat against the wall with his elbows on his drawn up knees.

Duo groaned and somehow got out a pathetic reply, "How 'bout some sympathy?"

"Hn."

"Just watch me, I'll become the God of Death once again… but right now, I need some sleep."

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

"Well, I'm glad to see two of you came to your senses," Henry laughed maniacally.

Trowa and Wufei stood before him restrained with handcuffs.

Wufei was the first to speak up, "Yes, we believe that peace cannot exist without military force. The people need someone to protect them and we can do just that with your new mobile suit."

Henry grinned and nodded. "Precisely! I just knew that you two would change your minds. You served in Mariemaia's army after all. Such a sweet girl…" A sinister grin spreading unabashedly across his face.

"Who knew you two Gundam pilots would defect to return to finish the original Operation Meteor. Too bad it didn't go as planned." Henry twirled his cane around. "Oh well! I'm onto bigger and better things." He flipped his hand as if he was brushing something off in midair, then turned to them with a nefarious smile when he asked, "Now… would you boys like to see my doll?! She's really quite beautiful."

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Heero let Duo rest for a little while as he was still recovering from the effects of the tear gas. After about an hour, Heero went over to his friend and said, "Get up. We need to get moving."

A barely audible groan escaped Duo's lips as he stretched, then he rolled over onto all fours and pushed himself up, twisting right and left, then right again to pop his back. "I'm gettin' too old for this."

"You're only 17," Heero countered.

"Yeah, I need to retire," groused the braided man.

"And I need a favor," Heero added.

Duo snorted. "I'm not punching you again, if that's what you're asking." He crossed his arms, turning his nose up and away from him.

"I need you to get us out of here," Heero explained.

"Well!" Duo brightened as he smiled mischievously and withdrew his hairpins, "Now, that is something I'd be happy to do!" He picked the lock, quietly opening the door, and poked his head out to check if the coast was clear. "So, what's the game plan?"

"I'm going to go find Henry and stop him. I need you to create a distraction and find us a way out of here."

Saluting his pal, Duo headed in the opposite direction.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Relena glanced down at her phone for the hundredth time that morning. The black screen taunted her. No matter how hard she stared at it or willed a message from Heero to appear, it remained dead silent. Sighing, she placed the phone face down so she wouldn't have to see the blank face anymore. Not 30 seconds later did she pick back up the phone to check it.

Groaning, she slumped back in her chair and gently tossed the phone onto the table. "I'm so pathetic…" she whined.

"What's that, Miss Relena?" Pagan said as he walked towards her carrying a tea tray.

"I haven't heard from Heero today and that's typical. But I just get the sense that something is wrong. I just want to know if he is alright," she said with a worried voice to her trusted butler.

"Hmm… give me just a moment." Pagan pulled out his cell phone, tapping quickly across the touchscreen. Not a minute later, he handed her the phone. "Commander Une for you, Miss Relena."

Her eyes widened in surprise as she eagerly accepted the present from him. "Une, I need to ask you. How are Heero and the others doing?"

Une deflected her question. "I thought Heero made it abundantly clear that you are not to be using any communication devices at this time."

Relena cut her off from the impending lecture and countered, "Something is wrong. I know it is. I want to know what is going on and where Heero is. Can you at least tell me that he is safe?"

"You know just as well as I that I cannot comment on active investigations. If and when I have an update, I will contact you. Until then, stay off the phone and computer. Do not make any other calls, understand?"

She sighed and wanted to fight back but she knew she wouldn't be able to get the information she desired from Une. In her anger, she had to bite her tongue and reply with a simple, "yes". Her nostrils flared as she pushed the end call button as hard as she could. Relena wanted to throw the phone across the room but thankfully, she remembered it was not hers.

Handing the phone back to Pagan, she said, "I have another phone call I'd like to make." She wouldn't give up that easily.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Wufei climbed into the cockpit of Henry's new doll which looked incredibly like Epyon but instead of being painted maroon, it was pure white. Clicking on his helmet, Wufei sat down. "I'm ready whenever you are."

"Excellent. Begin the simulation." Henry put a hand on Trowa's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze.

Briefly glancing over at the hand on his shoulder, he obeyed his orders and started the training program.

"You know, Dekim told me that you were impersonating his son, Trowa Barton."

Trowa didn't look over at him when he replied, "Yes, that's true. I have no name so I took his before Operation Meteor was launched." His fingers continued to fly over the keyboard as he continued to increase the difficulty level.

"Interesting. I do like a man that does whatever he has to in order to get the job done." Henry perversely brushed Trowa's long bangs out of his eyes. "Don't you think so?"

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

"It's underground. Interesting… I'll get to the plant directly thru this duct." Duo tapped on the directory monitor in the hallway.

"Hey! There he is!" The two guards from earlier had found him.

Duo sprinted down the hallway and around a corner, before ducking into a storage closet. After the guards ran by, he stealthily exited the closet and headed for the air duct.

Popping it open, Duo shimmied into the small metallic rectangle like a fish out of water. "Either these ducts are getting smaller or I'm getting bigger." Huffing and puffing, he army crawled slowly through the vent. "Argh! I think I need to cut back on my donut intake." He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead before soldiering on.

He crawled over a slotted vent and smiled. "Ooo, what do we have here?!" Duo sounded like a kid in a candy store as he dropped down to check out the goodies. He uncovered a large storage container full of explosives and let out a low whistle. Duo rubbed his hands together before stuffing as much C4 into a duffel bag as he could.

"Let's blow this joint!"

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Wufei dropped out of the new-type Epyon, wide-eyed and completely exhausted. Trembling, he tried to get up but couldn't quite find the strength to do so as he passed out.

Pleased by the pilot's abilities, Henry clapped as he grinned like a cheshire cat. "Very good! Very good!"

Turning to his guards, "Take them to confinement. There's someone I need to see."

Two guards roughly grabbed Wufei and drug him out first. Trowa and four other guards followed them.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Her friend's sandy blonde hair color and soft blue eyes appeared on the screen. "Miss Relena! It's so good to see you! How are you doing?"

"Quatre, it's good to see you as well. I'm alright…" she paused to consider her words, "I'm calling because I'm worried about Heero. I just can't shake the feeling that something is wrong."

His expression fell and freely gave away what she had feared the most. Her heart sank. It suddenly felt too hot and the room too small. Her voice was shaky as she spoke, "What's wrong?"

"Relena, I…" Quatre hesitated.

"Please, Quatre! I must know! Is he alive?! Is he okay?"

He lowered his head and voice as he replied, "I don't know… I lost transmission with them 10 hours ago and I haven't been able to reach anyone since then. I'm sorry."

Relena put her hand over her mouth because she suddenly felt ill. _Heero…_ Her heart cried out to him. _He has to be okay_, she told herself.

"I'm sure Heero is just fine, Miss Relena. He is the best of the best. If anyone can do the impossible, he can."

Relena forced a smile but inside she was crying. "Isn't there anything we can do? I feel so helpless just sitting here."

"I sent Rashid and the rest of the Maganac Corps to their location. They should arrive within the next 4 to 5 hours."

Hope stirred within her. Help was on the way. If anything had gone awry, the Maganac Corps would help them. "Oh, thank you, Quatre! Thank you!"

"Believe in him and he will pull through."

She nodded in agreement, "I do believe in him. I always have."

"Good. I'll be in touch when I know more. Take care, Miss Relena."

"Thank you again!" The line went silent and she felt like a burden had been lifted off of her. She took a deep breath. Heero was alive. He had to be.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Heero navigated through the labyrinth of hallways with a gun he had confiscated from an unsuspecting enemy combatant. He entered a room filled with ornate columns and walked over to a control panel where he laid his hand on top to scan it. Access granted. The screen flashed before the doors unlocked and opened into a large room… no, it was a library. This was all too eerily similar to Romefeller's castle in Luxembourg that Treize had been exiled to.

_This guy is really messed up_, Heero thought to himself as he cautiously scanned the darkened room for signs of movement.

"I see you finally made it." Above him, Henry stepped out from the shadows and walked down the stairs to meet the defiant pilot.

"Join me, 01. While 05 got a little taste of my doll, he just doesn't understand like you and I do. The world we live in now is not what it should be. It is just artificial peace that won't last. As a soldier, you know former Queen Relena's ideals cannot be maintained. With her declaration, she striped away borders and my sovereign right to rule in my own country."

Heero was conflicted as his gun tracked Henry walking towards him. He both wanted to shoot Henry and didn't. He didn't want to break his promise to Relena but when this man spoke of her in such a vile way, it made his blood boil.

"I just want my country back, 01. We're humans, you and I, and we each have a desire for war within us. If you join me, we shall overthrow the ESUN government and defeat our enemies," reasoned Henry.

"No. My enemies are the ones after my life and the ones that toy with my life," Heero replied, provoking Henry further.

Disappointed and angered by the Zero pilot's response, Henry tapped his cane on the floor three times and Heero was immediately surrounded by guards. Outnumbered, he dropped his gun and raised his hands in surrender.

"When I helped Master Treize build Epyon, I asked him why he built it and do you know what he told me? He said, 'Because this Gundam is the future of our world and there's one pilot out there who will usher in the new era of peace.' And that pilot was you. He built Epyon for you." Henry was beginning to get more agitated with every word he spoke. Seething, he pointed his cane at Heero and poked him in the chest with it a few times, "And you… _you_ gave it over to that traitor, Zechs Merquise!" He took an unsteady breath to regain his composure. "Put him with the others!"

A sequence of explosions erupted, causing confusion and chaos among Henry and his minions. Taking advantage of the situation, Heero grabbed a gun, shooting three guards in their arms as he ran for cover. Duo dropped down from the ceiling and took out a few men before being whacked in the side with Henry's cane. "Ngh!" He crumpled to the floor and curled into a ball from the pain.

Sidestepping to avoid the falling debris from the ceiling, Henry shouted, "Bring the pilots into the hangar! And find 01!" Duo made a last ditch effort to get up but was brutally struck down again before being dragged out of the library.

Heero watched as the soldiers left with Duo and two other captives, presumably Trowa and Wufei, but he was too far away to be sure. Feeling how light the gun was, he released the clip to see how many bullets he had left. _Only one left. _Snapping the clip back into place, he pressed the slide lock down to get the last round into the chamber, determined to complete his mission and get back to Relena and back to the new aspects of their budding romance. His eyes narrowed, refocusing on the task at hand, before bolting out from behind a column.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Feeling heavy hearted, Relena looked out the frosted window out at the frozen landscape. The snow was so pure and so white. It sparkled in the afternoon sun. A small smile graced her face as she remembered her conversation with Heero about snow. She missed him. Closing her eyes, she held back tears that threatened to come as she traced the invisible trail of kisses he placed on her neck. She had to be strong. Holding her first over her heart, she dared to open her eyes again while she pleaded to an empty room. "Come back to me, Heero."

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

Squatting down behind an oil barrel, Heero peeked around the edge before running hunched over to some crates.

"01!" Henry's voice echoed through the large hanger.

_Fuck._

"It's so good of you to join us." Henry evilly said with that ridiculous grin on his face. "Do come over here."

"Surrender, Henry! This ends now!" Heero raised his gun to shoot the madman. But as he pulled the trigger, all he had managed to shoot was a damn hologram just as a bullet ripped through his right shoulder.

"It's not over. It will never be over! Not until we take back what is ours."

Grunting, Heero dropped and rolled behind some storage crates for cover. _Damn it. I'm out of bullets._ He glanced around the corner to assess the situation. The other three pilots were being held at gunpoint. Trowa was furiously typing away on a laptop while Wufei lay passed out on the floor and a glowering Duo sat with his elbows on his knees.

"I'm disappointed. I thought you were better than this 01." Henry unexpectedly came around the corner where he picked an exhausted Heero up from behind by the scruff of his jacket, pressing the barrel of the gun to his temple. Between the lack of sleep, physical fatigue, and blood loss, Heero felt like he was about to pass out. His usual perfectly vertical stance was wavering.

"01, would you do me a favor? I know the lights are beginning to dim but if you could just hang on for a second, as soon as Trowa finishes, I'm gonna kill him and your friends. I would love for you to see that." Fuming, he looked over at 03. "God damnit, Trowa!"

Trowa held up his hands in calm resignation. "Ten seconds, okay? Ten seconds, you'll have all your money. Just wait, no one has to get hurt."

"10 seconds. Stay with me, 01." Henry moved his gun from Heero's head, wrapping his arm around his neck and jamming the weapon into his right shoulder. "Stay with me." He hissed into Heero's ear.

Heero closed his eyes and saw her. She was calling out to him. _Relena_… He wanted to go to her. He wanted to be in her arms again. He had to live. He had to get back to her. Determined to survive, his eyes snapped open as he put his hand over Henry's and pulled the trigger, not only shooting himself but the man right behind him.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

It was mid-afternoon and Relena had just finished her tea but she still felt weary. Blinking several times, she tried to focus on what she was reading but she could not. She pinched the bridge of her nose trying to regain control of her senses. _Maybe I had better go lie down_, she thought.

Suddenly a searing pain in her upper left chest overcame her. She collapsed onto the floor in agony. It was like she had been shot all over again. Her right hand covered the wound but there was no blood. Disregarding the pain as best as she could, she adjusted her shirt in order to see where she had been shot but saw nothing new.

Tears began to fall of their own free will. "Heero…" she sobbed. Resting her forehead on the floor, she tried to regain her composure but failed to do so. The pain was too great and all too real. She was terrified of what was happening to her; or worse, to Heero.

She forced herself up onto her elbows and looked around the room, searching for something. Or someone. As she began to stand up, another sharp pain pierced her right shoulder and she cried out in pain, "Heerooooooo!"

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

As the bullet tore through Heero's body, Henry's henchmen, who were holding the three other Gundam pilots at gunpoint, turned their aim on Heero instead, giving the pilots a small window of time to take them down. Using a signature acrobatic move, Trowa jumped at the opportunity and struck the unsuspecting terrorist in the back of the head. Meanwhile, Wufei, who had been pretending to be asleep the whole time, dropped kicked his guard and knocked him out before retrieving his gun while Duo simultaneously took out another guard. And despite being shot not once, but twice, Heero still managed to use his signature uppercut; a perfect 47.6 degrees to decimate his target with his left fist.

"Looks like Quatre got my message." Trowa looked over to see helicopters landing just outside the hangar as comrades from the Maganac Corps came to their aid. Together, they captured as many terrorists as they could without killing them.

"Son of a gun." Wufei shook his head as he bent down to help apply pressure to Heero's wounds. "We need to get you to the hospital, stat."

Heero slowly blinked trying to register what his friend was saying but his vision was beginning to fail him. Logically, he knew it was day time and it shouldn't be getting dark. _Damn it… I will survive… Relena… _

"He's fading! We need more blood!" Wufei shouted at a Maganac Corps medic.

Looking over at his ailing best friend, Duo balled up his fists and headed directly for the man who caused all of this.

"Hey, you! I'm talking to you!"

Henry looked up and brightly smiled at Duo.

_I'm gonna wipe that smug smile right off your face, pally. _"You think you're _so _smart. Well guess what?! Relena isn't dead!" Henry's eyes widened in surprise. "That's right! She is alive and well. You… however, are a _dead_ man. My friend over there won't kill you, even though I know for a fact that he would abso-fucking-lutely _love _to." Duo pointed over to where Heero was being lifted into an ambulance. He turned back to Henry and continued. "So here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna beat ya with this damn thing. Then I'm gonna shoot ya between your eyes, right there," he sneered, tapping his forehead with the cane. "Then, I'm going to leave you here and push this little detonator and watch you blow up to smithereens. Be prepared to meet your maker." The God of Death raised his arm and began his work.

01000100 01100101 01101010 01100001 00100000 01110110 01110101

**Author's Note: **

Whew! That was an action packed chapter and a lot happened. Will Heero survive and make it back to Relena? Will Relena be able to return to the land of the living now that the Knights of Britannia and Henry FitzWilliam have been taken care of? What about her proposal for Mars to become the next Foreign Territory?! Find out next time in Chapter 8!

Live Free or Die Hard is owned by 20th Century Fox. If you haven't seen Die Hard or any of the sequels you need to! It's soooo good! I absolutely love, love, LOVE John McClane and the Die Hard series. Every time I watch one I can't help but think "Heero would totally do that." So in this chapter, I had to include one of my favorite scenes from Live Free or Die Hard. I wholeheartedly believe that Heero would actually shoot himself into order to shoot his enemy. Heero will do whatever it takes to complete his mission, especially if it involves protecting Relena.

I used the following quotes for this fic. I did not write this myself but I wish I had. The rights to this film, scene and the wording belong to their respective owners.

**Die Hard or Live Free Quotes:** "McClain, would you do me a favor? I know the lights are beginning to dim but if you could just hang on for a second, as soon as Matt's finished, I'm gonna kill him and your daughter, and I would love for you to see that. God damnit, Matthew!"

"Ten seconds, okay, ten seconds, you'll have all your money. Just wait, no one has to get hurt."

"10 seconds. Stay with me, McClane."


	8. Home Again

**Disclaimer:** For the 8th time, I don't own Gundam Wing.

**A/N:** Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading! I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to review, favorite and follow. It's a lot of work writing and revising these chapters so I love hearing from you all! Please keep reviewing. It keeps me motivated and inspired. There's approximately 10 more chapters (maybe more, maybe less depending on feedback) so I need all the love.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Home Again**

Heero glowered at Duo. "This is ridiculous. There is no way that I am going to get in there."

"Come on, man! Everyone still thinks Relena is dead and it would only be natural for her body to be taken to her mother's house for a private viewing for close family and friends."

"Duo's right. We need to make everyone think that she is dead and the best way to do that is if you play dead in her place."

He knew they were right but he wasn't in the mood for this. Heero sighed and reluctantly laid down in the casket. Trowa handed him some bottle water and showed him the climate controls and the radio in case he needed to talk to one of them.

"Get some rest, Heero."

"See ya on the flip side, man!"

"Hn."

The casket closed and a few LED lights illuminated the control panel. _How the hell did I let them talk me into this?_ He decided he might as well try and get some rest. It was going to be a long ride otherwise.

Thanks to some painkillers that Sally forced into his system, Heero barely felt any pain as he drifted off to sleep despite Duo's music choice.

When I wake up, well I know I'm gonna be  
I'm gonna be the man who wakes up next to you

_Sunlight streamed onto the bed and highlighted her golden hair. Her chest rose as she breathed. She was so warm, so soft. He pulled her close to him, a small smile formed as she snuggled into his shoulder._

When I go out, yeah I know I'm gonna be  
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you

_She came into the space shuttle cockpit saying his name. She looked exhausted and her white pantsuit was wrinkled. She sat next to him in the co-pilot seat and leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder while he navigated them through space._

If I get drunk, well I know I'm gonna be  
I'm gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you

_Empty wine bottles and glasses were scattered in the living room. She giggled and hiccuped a few times as she crawled up to him and on his lap. Her hair was like a curtain covering them from the outside world as she rode him. _

And if I haver, hey I know I'm gonna be  
I'm gonna be the man who's havering to you

_He was kneeling in front of her. She had the biggest smile and her aquamarine eyes were full of love. He held out a ring to her as an offer of the undying love he felt for her. _

But I would walk 500 miles  
And I would walk 500 more  
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles  
To fall down at your door

_He climbed the seemingly never ending stairs up to the Peacecraft Palace where she opened the doors and her arms to him._

When I'm working, yes I know I'm gonna be  
I'm gonna be the man who's working hard for you

_He looked down at her giving yet another speech from the balcony. His gaze moved from her lips to the crowd searching for any suspicious movement. He saw a man pull out a gun towards the front. Not thinking, he immediately shot the would be gunman in the forearm before he could even lift his gun. _

And when the money comes in for the work I do  
I'll pass almost every penny on to you

_I promised that I would protect you but in order to protect you and the Earth Sphere, Relena, I have no choice but to fight. _

When I come home, oh I know I'm gonna be  
(When I come home)  
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home to you

_He kissed her goodbye. He walked towards his car and looked back at her to get one last glance at her. She looked so sad as a tear trickled down yet she smiled at him as she gave a little wave._

And if I grow old, well I know I'm gonna be  
I'm gonna be the man who's growing old with you

_Relena had aged beautifully. She had gray hair with her signature bangs. She smiled up at him before she blew out the numbers 6-0 candles._

But I would walk 500 miles  
And I would walk 500 more  
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles  
To fall down at your door

_He walked up the front stairs, to her home, no... their home, and back to Relena and their little bundle of joy. _

Da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da  
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle a da da  
Da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da  
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle a da da

When I'm lonely, well I know I'm gonna be  
I'm gonna be the man who's lonely without you

_He was in the cockpit of his Wing Zero again, fighting enemy mobile suits in the dead of space, trying to focus on his mission but his mind kept wandering back to her._

And when I'm dreaming, well I know I'm gonna dream  
I'm gonna dream about the time when I'm with you

_Relena… She was twirling around the empty ballroom, smiling and laughing as she danced circles around him. _

When I go out, well I know I'm gonna be  
(When I go out)  
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you

"_If I leave, you're coming with me, got it?"_

And when I come home, yes I know I'm gonna be  
(When I come home)  
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home with you  
I'm gonna be the man who's coming home with you

_He walked into her bedroom. She was sprawled across her bed in a very sexy red lingerie seductively looking up at him. No, it was their bed... their wedding photographs sat on the bedside tables. _

But I would walk 500 miles  
And I would walk 500 more  
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles  
To fall down at your door

Da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da  
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle a da da  
Da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da  
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle a da da  
Da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da  
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle a da da  
Da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da, da d-da da  
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle a da da

And I would walk 500 miles  
And I would walk 500 more  
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles  
To fall down at your door

The car stopped and Heero jolted awake. Thankfully he hit his head on the cushioned casket lid. He was breathing rapidly. _Holy shit. _His mind raced through the images from his dream. He knew Relena was his future but he never thought he was good enough for her. _Forget about me, Relena. Life is cheap, especially my life._ She deserves someone better than him. Someone that wasn't covered in blood. A war raged within him as her words came back to him. "You are not defined by the actions of your past, Heero Yuy. I love you. God, I love you so much, Heero. And nothing will ever change that." _How could she love me? I don't deserve her._

_Relena..._

Duo's voice brought him out of his stupor. "Hey Heero! Heero, you alright in there, man? We finally made it, buddy! Just a few more minutes and you'll be able to see your lady love."

"Yeah."

"Okay, we're gonna get you out now. Just hang on, pal."

Duo, Trowa, Pagan, the footmen, Harry and Edward, and the stable hand acted as pallbearers. As cameras flashed, they unloaded the casket and carried the precious cargo up the Darlian Mansion steps, stopping briefly in front of Mrs. Darlian, a seemingly devastated and grieving mother, before entering the mansion.

Relena came out of the library as they gently set the casket down in the entryway.

"Oh my god!" She screamed and ran over. "Duo! You said he was injured! Not dead!" Tears flowed down her cream colored skin as she threw herself on top of the casket.

He could hear her crying uncontrollably and oddly enough it made him both sad...and happy. His chest tightened as he listened to her cries. She thought he was dead...and she sounded...broken. All he wanted was to hold her in his arms again. To tell her that they had taken care of the Knights of Britannia. That she didn't have to worry. And most importantly, how much he missed her. He never thought himself capable of missing anyone but he did. He craved to see her. To embrace her. To kiss her.

"Relena…"

Through her sobs, she heard a muffled sound from below her. She sniffled and looked up at the two pilots, her eyes asking for an explanation. She didn't need one as she heard his voice calling her name.

"HEERO?!" She couldn't get the lid opened fast enough. Her fingers furiously trying to unlatch the casket. With Trowa's help, she lifted the lid to reveal the Perfect Soldier, who was very much alive. "Heero! Oh my god, Heero!" She yelled through her sobs.

Heero sat up with his right arm in a sling. Relena immediately pounced on him, tightly squeezing him around the neck. Initially shocked by her public display of affections, he relaxed in her embrace. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here." He slightly winced in pain as he rubbed his good arm along her back in an effort to comfort her.

"Easy there, Princess. Remember he's injured." Duo said as he gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Relena immediately released him. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?! What happened?! I've missed you so much!" She frantically yelled as she inspected him.

His heart warmed at her concern. He gently touched the side of her face and held her chin, rubbing his calloused thumb over the smooth skin on her cheek. Meeting his swirling blue eyes, he blessed her with a small smile. Tears began to fall once more.

"Relena, I'm alright."

"Heero…"

He used his thumb to wipe away her tears. "It's okay. I'm here. Stop worrying. I'm just fine." He gently chided her. Smiling, she nodded at him before hugging him again, this time with more care for his injury.

Heero nuzzled his head against hers and caught Duo and Trowa smirking at him. He threw daggers with his eyes, sending them his infamous death glare. They only smirked more before averting their eyes.

"Relena," he whispered into her ear and slightly pushed her back so he could once again look at her. She smiled up at him. "Yes?"

"Move aside," he growled. _I've been in this damn casket too long._

She giggled and ran her hands over her cheeks to rid herself of the remaining moisture as she stepped backwards. Relena watched in awe of her Perfect Soldier as he threw himself up and over the casket, quietly landing on two solid feet. She was elated to see him in person, alive and well. At least for the most part, she thought as she eyed the sling. Heero held his left arm out to her. Briefly shocked by the gesture, she stood there as her heart skipped a beat before running into his arm.

They held one another for awhile. Neither one saying anything, they were just content holding each other.

"Heero, we are so glad to have you back." Mrs. Darlian slowly approached the couple.

Relena had completely forgotten that anyone was in the room. Apparently so did Heero because she felt him jerk when her mother began to speak.

He looked up at Mareen. "Thank you. I'm glad to be back."

Smiling, she folded her hands in front of her. "Please let us know if you need anything." Heero nodded. "I'll leave you now. It looks like you're in good hands." He felt Relena smile into his chest as she pressed herself into him. He looked back down at her before placing his head back against hers.

"I am," he whispered.

He had never felt so loved.

Relena put her hands on his chest and looked up at him while in his embrace. "Let's get you into bed." Relena suggested innocently.

Heero quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "I thought you'd never ask."

She lightly smacked him before grabbing his hand to lead him upstairs.

Once they got inside his room, Heero closed the door. He wrapped his arm around Relena and pulled her into a passionate kiss. He kissed down the side of her neck, lightly nibbling as he moved down. His free hand caught the edge of her shirt and sneakily moved his hand underneath it, rising to fondle her breast. "Heero…" Relena moaned under his ministrations. His only reply was fervently kissing her collarbone.

"Heero. What happened?" She tried to ask him but he still continued to ravage her with his kisses and touches.

"Heero." She said more assertively. "Tell me what happened." She had to pry herself away from him. Heero let out a low growl in protest as she moved away.

"I got shot." He neglected to tell her that the wound was self-inflicted.

Relena gingerly touched his injured shoulder. "You should rest. You're injured. I'll get you some pain medication."

"I don't want any painkillers."

"Heero…" She sighed. "I don't like seeing you in pain."

"It's nothing I can't handle."

"But…" Relena began to protest.

"Come here. I want to hold you." Heero growled in a sexy low voice as he held out his good arm. Relena willingly obliged and came to him. He laid his head on top of hers, breathing in her flowery scent as he ran his hand through her long strands. _Finally_, he thought, enjoying how wonderful it felt to have her in his arms again. Small tremors erupted underneath his hand as she began to cry into his chest.

"Relena? What's wrong?"

She felt weak. She couldn't bare to look into his piercing blue eyes until she spoke the words so heavily weighing on her heart. He possessed the ability to erase all rational thought from her mind. "I just missed you so much. I was so afraid, Heero." Relena glanced over to the window trying her best not to make eye contact with him. "I could sense you… I don't know how to describe it… but I could feel you and your pain even though you were so far away."

"Relena… look at me."

With a gentle touch, Heero tilted her head so she had nowhere else to look. Her downcast eyes fluttered up to meet his. Heero gazed into her aquamarine eyes and smiled before softly kissing her supple lips.

"I missed you too. More than you could ever know," he spoke slowly and softly. "I don't know what it is, but I can feel you too. No matter where I am, you're always with me." He took one of her hands and placed it firmly over his heart. "You're always in my heart."

As he spoke, the tears that had gathered in her eyes began to trickle down her cheeks. He didn't necessarily say those three little words that she desperately wanted to hear, but she would forever treasure the words he did say and she would always remember how he said them to her.

Happiness radiated from her as she smiled brightly. Heero touched the tip of her adorable nose before planting a kiss there. He continued to love on her, kissing each of her rosy cheeks then he recaptured her lips in a kiss filled with passion and yearning.

"Relena…" He kissed her again. "You know... there is something you can do for me." A mischievous smile appeared on those tantalizing lips.

"What is it? Just tell me and I'll do it." He could ask anything of her and she would do it in a heartbeat. However, she wasn't quite prepared for his request.

"You can give me a blow job." His voice softened as he made his proposal.

Relena blushed furiously at his blunt suggestion. Heero pressed his large arousal against her stomach.

"Only if you want to though," he whispered into her ear.

Oh, she wanted to suck him. There was no question in her mind. She had missed him _and_ his cock. Aroused, she crushed herself against his body as she fiercely kissed him.

He felt like he needed to explain his odd request to her so he did. "It will release oxytocin, a hormone that creates a sense of euphoria which in turn dulls the pain. Remember when I ate you out when your chest hurt? You forgot all about it, didn't you?"

"Oh. Yeah, I guess I did." She flushed bright red remembering his tongue inside of her. It was getting hot in here. Swallowing, she tucked her hair behind her ear unsure of exactly how to proceed. "I'd be happy to… I mean… I'd like to…" She stuttered as she tried to think of what to say. When they had been intimate in the past, clothes just seemed to magically disappear on their own and didn't require any thought.

She was irresistibly cute when she fumbled her words. He took the liberty of bringing her hand to his confined arousal and kissed her temple. Relena cupped him, running her hand along his rock hard cock before she unbuttoned his pants and hastily pushed down his boxers to release him from the constraining fabric. His soldier stood at attention for her. Without grasping him first, she licked his head a few times which elicited a low growl from Heero. He put a hand in her hair and gently massaged her scalp. Relena looked up at him through her bangs and took his entire length into her mouth. Heero's eyes never left hers as she sucked on him.

"Relena…"

Heero pushed her head further down causing her to gag as his dick infiltrated her throat. Relena didn't particularly care for it, but she trusted Heero. After a moment, Heero released her so she could come up for some air. A string of saliva clung onto her lower lip and his tip as she gasped for air. Heero had never seen anything so beautiful. He loved knowing he was the only one who saw her like this. He cupped her chin and wiped away the saliva with his thumb. She gave him a slight smile before returning to his cock where she bobbed up and down on him. She varied her pace, first slow and sucking hard, then fast with less suction.

Heero couldn't take anymore of her sweet torture and exploded in her mouth. She drank down his release. She shimmed her way up his body, helping him pull up his boxers. "Feel better?" she asked as he removed his Preventer jacket that hung only on one arm due to his injury along with his boots and pants.

Heero didn't speak as he got into bed. He just let out a very satisfied sound… "Mmm." Relena smirked and thought to herself, _mission complete, _as she crawled into bed with him.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

Heero's left arm began to tingle causing him to wake. He tried to move his left arm but couldn't; something was on top of him cutting off his circulation. Still groggy from just waking up, he rolled his head to the side and looked down to see what was going on. Long blonde hair was everywhere he looked. Forgetting his injury, he went to move the mess of hair out of her face but pain shot through his right arm when he tried. A little snore arose from the honey colored tresses. He inwardly chuckled, shifting his weight just enough to pull his arm out from it's captors tight hold.

He whispered her name close to what he thought was her ear. He couldn't be sure because the disheveled hair was strewn about all over the place.

There was no response.

He called her name a little bit louder.

She lightly groaned in response.

"Relena… Relena, wake up."

Relena jolted awake and sat straight up on her knees. She looked like she had been through a windstorm or Cousin It from the Addams Family. Hair was glued to the side of her face with some slobber. She spit out a few strands of hair that had somehow made their way into her mouth. Slowly she came to and fluttered her eyes open, adjusting to the brightly lit room and her surroundings. Her vision focused on the man in front of her, she gasped loudly and said, "Oh my god! I'm such a mess!" She quickly ran her hands over her face trying to remove all evidence of drool.

Now outwardly laughing at her, Heero sat up to pull her back down to him and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm so embarrassed…" Relena buried her face in his chest.

He didn't care. He loved his disheveled princess. She was perfect to him no matter what she looked like. "I've never seen you so beautiful," he reassured her.

Cautiously she glanced up at him. Her heart melted when she met his loving gaze. She could get lost in those Prussian blues.

Heero leaned down to kiss her somewhat chapped lips.

"What time is it?"

"Probably late afternoon based on where the sun is."

Relena reached up and stretched. "I think I slept in a weird position. My back is killing me."

"Hn. That will happen when you sleep on someone else's arm."

She shot a look at him. "Did I?"

"Hn."

She giggled and apologized with a kiss.

"I should probably get up and see what's for dinner. Do you think you'll want to come downstairs to eat? I can always bring up a tray."

"No, that's alright. I'll come down for dinner after I take a shower."

He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before heading into the bathroom. Relena couldn't take her eyes off of him. He was so handsome.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

Heero closed the door and used the bathroom. He inspected himself in the mirror. His hair was even more unkempt than usual but he looked well otherwise, considering everything he had been through in the past 72 hours. Truth be told he was exhausted but he didn't let it show. He began to remove his sling when he heard a light tap on the door.

"Yeah?"

"It's me. I just wanted to see if you needed any help."

Heero opened the door.

"Yeah. That'd be nice." In the past Heero would have told her to get lost and just do it himself but he had found that he enjoyed Relena's company and her help, even if he wouldn't admit it.

He pulled on the strap to release his arm, wincing ever so slightly as his arm began to drop. Relena's eyes filled with love and compassion for her wounded soldier, quickly taking the sling and setting it aside, she held up his forearm to prevent further pain or injury.

He unbuttoned his white collared shirt and allowed her to work it off of him. She winced seeing his bandages. _Oh Heero..._

"I have an idea." She took his other hand to replace her before opening up the closet in the bathroom. "We'll use gauze for a makeshift sling." Heero watched in fascination while Relena gingerly wrapped the white fabric around his forearm a few times before securing it in a bow around his neck. No matter how many times she bandaged him up, he never ceased to be amazed by her selfless and nurturing spirit.

Impressed with her ingenuity, he complimented her. "This is perfect. Thanks."

Her cheeks heated from his kind words. His fingers danced across her feverish skin, placing a few light kisses here and there. "I don't deserve you."

"Heero..." Relena reached up and grabbed either side of his face so he couldn't look away as she scolded him, "Do not ever think you are worthless! Do you hear me?!" Her angry ocean blue eyes searched his before she crushed her lips against his, moving her hands to gently tug on his chocolate brown hair. He returned her frenzied kiss with as much energy, if not more. Briefly pausing for air, Relena whispered "I love you" before nipping at his lips a few more times before continuing "and nothing will ever change that."

Heero gazed at her, his eyes swirling with so many emotions. Relena tried to decipher each one but they vanished as quickly as they appeared.

His stomach growled, louldy, breaking their intense connection….

Relena lightly laughed and placed her hand on his chest. "Let's get you in the shower so we can go down for dinner before you starve." She opened the door and turned the water on.

"Is it okay to get those bandages wet?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?" Relena asked with a furrowed brow concerned his wound would get an infection.

"Hn."

She let out a long sigh as he removed his boxers and stepped in the steaming hot shower. The water cascaded onto his chocolate hair and down his chiseled body. He closed his eyes and lifted his face to be doused in the waterfall. He ran his hand through his wet locks before shaking his head like a dog.

"Ahhh!" Relena cried out from behind him.

Heero turned around in surprise. He didn't even hear her follow him into the shower. _I must be really out of it._ He reached for her and brought her close to him in a warm and wet embrace.

He allowed her to wash every inch of his body. Relena traced his numerous scars and kissed each one as if to remove the pain lying deep beneath the jagged marks and blemished skin. Forgetting his injury, his right arm automatically went to reach up to cup her face.

"Careful!" Relena warned him. "Heero, you're injured." Grunting he grasped his shoulder in pain.

"It's nothing."

"But you're bleeding."

Heero seceded and leaned into Relena for comfort. She whispered sweet nothings as she held him. Once the pain dulled, he straightened himself to rinse off the residue soap and looked down at his bandages that were soaked in blood.

"I'll ring Pagan for more bandages," she said as she stepped out of the shower and retrieved a towel.

She returned a few minutes later, dressed in yet another outfit that Heero had never seen before, along with an array of medical supplies and a sugar cookie, compliments of Mrs. Tilney.

While Relena carefully removed his bandages and cleaned his wound, he was momentarily transported back in time to Libra.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

**Battleship Libra  
AC 195**

Her gentle voice filtered through the loud sirens. "Hey, thank you, Heero."

"Hn." Heero averted his eyes.

"Thank you for protecting me," Relena sincerely replied with soft eyes.

_I'll always protect you. _

"Huh. Heero, you're hurt." Relena almost reached out to him.

He casually lifted his arm and looked at it. "It's not serious." _I can't get distracted. _

"But it's bleeding."

"Now Zechs won't have his victory."

"What do you mean by that, Heero?"

"Forget it. I'm gonna need Zero."

Assessing the gravity of the situation, he looked down the hallway in both directions before he stood up and helped a now visibly shaken Relena up with one hand. Her hand fit so perfectly in his. However, her delicate and perfectly manicured hand felt too perfect in his own calloused and scarred hand. _I'm nothing compared to her._ He led her through the darkened corridors, navigating them over and around fallen debris. Remembering where the locker room was located from the disc that lady gave the Gundam Pilots, they finally arrived.

Heero shut the door and locked it before destroying the electronic door access pad with a single bullet.

"Ahhh!" Surprised, Relena screamed from the loud bang and covered her ears as she dropped to the floor on her knees.

"I had to destroy the keypad so no one can enter." He helped pick her off the ground and brought her over to a bench between some lockers. Then he began opening lockers, searching for a first aid kit.

Relena began looking for a first aid kit as well. Thankfully, there was one in the first locker she opened. "I found one!" She exclaimed. "Come sit over here." She patted the bench in front of her.

Heero did as he was told and sat down.

Relena kneeled down in front of him and carefully examined his wound. "You need stitches." She walked over to the sink and thoroughly washed her hands before she put on a pair of purple surgical gloves.

"Take off your shirt." A flicker of emotion appeared in his eyes but only for a moment.

Heero removed his shirt, revealing his signature green tank top underneath. She hadn't been this close to him in a long time. He wondered if she noticed the way his muscles rippled under her touch as she cleaned the gash across his upper right bicep. When she reached for the needle and thread, Heero grabbed her forearm.

"You don't need to do that. I can stitch myself."

Relena threw him a look and confidently said, "Trust me."

He searched her eyes for a few moments before his grasp slackened. She proceeded with her task and began to weave the thread in and out of his arm.

"When did you learn to do this?" His eyes didn't make contact with hers. He just continued to stare at a locker in front of him.

"Not too long ago. I took a few courses in First Aid just in case I might need to patch someone up during the war." She smiled up at him.

"Hn."

She finished stitching him up and placed a gauze pad over it. "I'm going to need your bandana. There aren't any bandages left." He nodded and let her untie the white cloth.

As she fiddled with the knot, Heero lightly touched her arm. Relena stopped to look at him, her arms around his neck.

Her eyes questioned him but she said nothing.

"I'll protect you, Relena."

He tucked some hair behind her ear.

"Heero?" She looked up at him with those blue oceanic orbs.

Her pink lips looked so inviting. He drew closer to her ever so slightly. Her cheeks began to heat. He was completely captivated by her. However, she looked down, breaking the memorizing trance. He came to his senses, moved back and cleared his throat. _What the heck am I thinking?_

He heard her swallow as she finally undid his bandana. She tore a strip of cloth and expertly tied it around his arm like she had once done with her dress not so long ago.

"Thank you." He looked at her with his intense big blue eyes.

"You're welcome," she smiled.

Heero stood up and opened up a locker and handed Relena a spacesuit. "Put this on."

Relena nodded.

Heero searched through several lockers, looking for a spacesuit that would fit him.

"Umm… Heero?"

"Hmm?"

"This is a silly question." Relena held out the suit looking quite unsure of herself and the suit. "Do I need to take off my skirt to put on my space suit?"

"Depends."

"On what exactly?"

"If you want to wear it or not." _I wonder what she looks like without it. _Relena's sigh brought him out of his thoughts. "If you don't want it to get wrinkled, take it off and just fold up your skirt and put it flat against your back and zip up your spacesuit."

He opened a locker and finally found one that would fit him. He stilled as he heard fabric rumple to the ground. _Stay focused on the mission. _

"Can you help me? I can't quite seem to get it."

Heero looked past the locker door to see Relena fumbling around with the zipper. Smirking, he walked over to her with only the pants of the space suit on. He took her skirt from her and reached around to hold the skirt flat against her back which brought them into a hug of sorts. He tried zipping up her spacesuit but the zipper was stuck. He couldn't pull it up any further. Frustrated, he tried pulling the zipper down. That worked… a little too well. Relena stiffened under his hold. Catching a glimpse of her unmentionables, Heero smirked as he successfully pulled up the zipper.

"Did you see?!" Relena asked panickedly.

_Yes._ "See what?" Heero replied in his typical indifferent monotone voice. _I definitely saw. _

Relena blushed furiously, almost the exact same shade of her pink underwear. "Nothing. Nevermind. Thanks for your help."

"Anytime."

Relena picked up her helmet and held it in her arms.

Heero said, "Once we're on Peacemillion. Follow Howards instructions and get your butt outta here."

"I want to speak to my brother just one more time."

Heero reached down and picked up his helmet. "It won't help. Zechs' decision is final." He began walking towards the door, leaving Relena by the lockers.

Sighing, she closed the locker door.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

A needle pierced his skin, awakening him from his memory. She was just as gentle as she was the last time she stitched him up. Her presence and her touch always had the ability to calm him.

"Almost done." She said quietly finishing the last stitch. Heero handed her the scissors and with a quick snip, her handiwork was done. Relena helped him get dressed and put his sling back on. When her arms were around his neck securing the knot, he took advantage of her proximity to seductively whisper, "thank you" in her ear. He gave her a kiss, which quickly deepened.

"Heero.." Relena managed to get out. "We're… going… to… be late." She gently pushed him back.

"Hn."

Relena turned to walk away but Heero caught her hand and pulled her back to him. With her back to him, he enveloped her waist with his good arm and kissed her neck a few times.

"I need to check something first."

"Huh?"

Heero pulled down her skirt just enough to see what color she was wearing.

"Heero, what are you..."

He turned her around and kissed her before admitting, "The last time you stitched me up you wore a similar color."

Relena gasped in embarrassment and turned beet red. "I knew it! You did see!"

Heero smirked, "Let's go down to dinner. We don't want to be late."

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

Heero and Relena headed down to the gathering room which was as just outside of the dining hall. Duo was checking out some classic paintings from the 1700s while Trowa watched Duo as if he was a young child about to do something he shouldn't.

"Duo! Trowa!" Relena practically ran to greet them. "Thank you so much for bringing back Heero."

Trowa smiled and nodded while Duo loudly exclaimed, "You're welcome, Princess!"

Mrs. Darlian came up from behind Heero and Relena. "Good evening, everyone. Relena, I don't believe I have had the pleasure of meeting your friends."

She gestured to the tall young man with chestnut brown hair and bangs that covered more than half of his face, save for his forest green eyes. "Mother, this is Trowa."

He gave a slight bow with a hand over his heart. "Actually, I have no name, but if you must call me something, it's Trowa. Trowa Barton."

Mareen nodded to him with a sweet motherly smile.

"And this is…" Relena didn't get a chance to finish before the braided man cut in.

"I'm Duo, Duo Maxwell. I might run and hide, but I never tell a lie. Yep, that's me in a nutshell." He went over to Mrs. Darlian and shook her hand, a little too hard. You wouldn't know it from her facial expressions though.

"It's so wonderful to meet you both! Please, call me Mareen. I hope you enjoy your visit. Oh, and if you ever need anything, Trowa and Duo, do be sure to let Pagan know." She gestured over to Pagan who bowed in acknowledgment.

"Dinner is served, ma'am." He opened the large mahogany French doors with gold handles.

Mrs. Darlian entered first, followed by Relena and Heero, then Duo and finally Trowa.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

"Yeah man! Heero's done some crazy shit!" Pagan cleared his throat and Duo quickly corrected himself. "I mean stuff! Excuse my French, Mrs. Darlian." She nodded politely and told him to continue. "There was that time when Heero jumped into space without a spacesuit. That was impressive."

"You what?!" Relena starred at Heero waiting for an explanation but Duo continued, "Oh! And I'll never forget when we jumped out of the Alliance's medical facility, which isn't too far from here if I remember correctly. Anyways, he didn't open his parachute until some chick yelled his name."

Duo grunted loudly before quietly offering another apology. It was his turn to shoot Heero a death glare. "What'd you do that for?" he seethed through his teeth. Heero ignored him and no one else seemed to notice the intense exchange, thankfully due to Relena's shock.

"You were there?!" Relena gasped. "That was you, Duo? You were the one who rescued Heero?!"

"Pfft! It's a full time job!" He stuffed his mouth with another big bite, thankfully chewing and swallowing before he continued, "But hey! How'd you know…" His eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute! You!" He pointed his fork at her. "You were that girl who yelled his name... now that make sense. Well, you're the one who really saved him. I don't think he would have opened his parachute otherwise." Duo took a big drink of wine and gulped it down.

"Heero…" Relena turned to him with a sad smile.

"You think that's bad?! When we got back to the ship, he just went and put a broken bone back into place! Man it just totally grosses me out, thinking about it."

Trowa chimed in. "He's really something else."

_Yes, he is really quite amazing_, Relena thought to herself.

"We're very thankful for your sacrifice." Mareen raised her glass in a toast. "To the valiant young men around this table who fought to achieve peace."

Heero took a drink from his glass. _You have no idea how much I've sacrificed. _

"Yes, they have all done so much for the world... and for me." Smiling, she glanced over to him. "He's quite the hero." Relena replied before turning back to her plate for another bite of food. _He's my Heero._ Relena reached for him under the table and was slightly surprised to feel his hand reaching for hers. Their fingers traced each other's in a tantalizing dance.

Heero couldn't take his eyes off of her. _God, she's beautiful. _His gaze shifted down to her skirt… to those hidden pink pair of panties.

Relena felt his gaze upon her. "What is it, Heero?" She smiled over at him once more.

_Snap out of it, Yuy. _He cleared his throat and his mind. "Relena, I need to talk to Trowa and Duo about your security. Would you like to join us?"

"No, I'm feeling rather unwell. I think I'll just head up to bed if you don't mind. I trust you to decide what's best for me anyways." Relena slightly winced, briefly placing her hand over her lower stomach.

Heero noticed the subtle change in her and became worried. "Was it something you ate?" Heero inquired, briefly worried that she had been poisoned. _No, she's safe here. _His mind raced through various scenarios.

Relena saw his worrisome expression and squeezed his hand for reassurance. "I'm fine. I just need to lay down."

"Okay. I'll take you up to your room." He placed his hand on the small of her back and turned back to his friends, "I'll meet you in the library in a few minutes."

"Sure thing." Trowa replied.

Duo was too busy scarfing down Mrs. Tilney's famous sugar cookies to notice. "Trowa!" Crumbs spewed from his mouth. "You gotta try one of these! They're so good!" Duo licked the remaining crumbs and icing from his fingers and lips.

"I would if you haven't had eaten them all." Trowa glowered.

Duo nervously scratched his head, "Sorry about that man."

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

"Relena? Are you sure you're alright?" Heero tucked Relena in.

"Yes, it's just been a really long day and I think I just need some sleep. I took some medicine. I'm sure I will feel better soon."

"Okay. Just let me know if you need anything." He planted a kiss on her forehead and another on the tip of her nose and finally captured her lips in a short but sweet kiss. He rested his forehead on hers and breathed in heavenly scent. She looked incredibly beautiful with her hair fanned out. "I'll check on you later."

Heero stood up and began making his way to the door when he noticed her closet light was still on. He was just about to flip the switch when he caught a glimpse of royal blue fabric. He walked into the closet and rubbed the fabric between his fingers and smiled.

"I love you."

He stopped to look back at her. She smiled at him before cocooning herself under her covers.

_I love you, too._

While he couldn't say he loved her just yet that didn't mean he couldn't show her how much he cared. How much he loved her.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

"What took you so long?" Duo winked at him as he entered the library to discuss Relena's security and a new mission.

He ignored the annoying braided pilot. "I'd like to run through the security system here with both of you."

Heero pulled out his laptop from his backpack and typed in his password. A few keystrokes later, he brought up the feeds from all of the security cameras. He gave them everything they needed to know; blueprints, the lay of the land, important details about the system, etc.

"Uhhh, is that Pagan?" Duo leaned in closer to get a better look.

Trowa leaned in too. "Yeah, I think it is."

"Who is he with?" Duo questioned as he tilted his head at the screen trying to figure it out.

Heero pushed them away from him and enlarged the screen so they could see. "That's Pagan and Mrs. Tilney, the cook."

"Ooo la la! Pagan's got skill. Looks like their whipping up some _love_." Duo grinned watching the couple kiss.

Trowa snickered behind Heero.

He snapped his laptop close. "If you have any questions, just let me know. I think you guys should be able to handle it."

"Yeah, yeah." Duo waved off Heero. "This is easy peasy."

"Duo, do me a favor and stop talking," Heero glared at his friend.

"You better do as he says. I'd hate to see you doubled over in pain again from one of his punches," Trowa said.

Duo straightened up. "Heero, in all seriousness, we all love the Princess and we would do anything to protect her. Don't forget I took out the asshole that shot her."

Heero nodded. "Yeah, I guess I never did thank you for that. Thanks, Duo."

"No problem, man."

Trowa pushed himself off of the chair he had been leaning against. "I'll take the night shift. You should get some rest, Heero."

"Before I go, there's one more thing I need your help with."

"What is it?" Trowa asked.

"I want to take Relena to St. Gabriel's Academy tomorrow."

"Why do you want to take her back there?" Duo quipped an eyebrow.

"I want to take her on a date."

Duo and Trowa's mouths both fell open in shock.

"What?" Duo said. He turned to Trowa and asked him, "Did he just say date? Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming."

Heero fumed, rolling his eyes at his overly dramatic friend. "Are you going to help me or not?!"

"Of course, man! I thought you'd never ask her." Duo said.

"Me either," Trowa muttered under his breath.

"I need you guys to sweep the area to make sure it's safe."

"We'll make sure it's secure," Trowa assured Heero.

"I'm going to head up now." Heero said as he made his way to the door.

"Goodnight." Trowa murmured as he stood with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

"Night, dude!" Duo said grinning and waving like an idiot.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

Heero came across Relena's ladysmaid, Abbi, who was making her evening rounds.

"Sir." She bobbed a short curtsy.

"Abbi, I need you to repair an old dress of Relena's. She wore it a few years ago to her birthday party but it was…ruined." _Thanks to me._

"Oh, yes! I remember that dress! She was absolutely stunning in it."

_Yes, she was._

"When do you need it ready?"

"I need it completed by noon tomorrow. I know that doesn't give you much time but Relena has always spoken very highly of you."

"Not a problem. In fact, I know I still have several yards of that fabric. I'll make sure it's ready before noon, sir."

"Thank you. I'll get the dress."

"Very good, sir. Just set it outside of Miss Relena's room."

Heero nodded and headed to Relena's room. Without making a sound, he slipped in and found the garment he was looking for just from the memory of the way the fabric felt. It had been forever imprinted on his memory since the moment she tore her dress to bandage him. Grabbing it from the closet, he brought it up to his face, deeply breathing in her flowery scent and the stale smell of gunpowder and blood… _his blood_.

He was just about to open her bedroom door to exit when he heard her moan his name.

"Heero…"

He froze. _There's no way I woke her up._ He slowly _and silently _turned around. Using his perfect night vision, he scanned the bed. Her blonde hair obscured part of her face but he could tell from her breathing that she was still sound asleep.

Relena stirred in her sleep, this time moaning his name seductively.

_She's dreaming about me. _His heart filled with love at the sweet sound of her voice calling his name.

He took a step towards her and remembered the dress in his hand. _Damn it._ He quickly hung it over the railing just outside of her door and returned to her room.

Moonlight now shone down onto her, creating an ethereal glow around her blonde crown of strewn hair, as if she were an angel. To him, she _was _an angel; an angel of hope, mercy and love. Someday he hoped to make her _his _angel. She was everything he was not and he couldn't help but be drawn to her heavenly aura.

Wincing, he took off his sling and removed his clothing, except for his boxer briefs, pulled back the bedding and very carefully crawled into bed as not to wake his… his… _What is she? _He thought looking down at her beautiful face. _My future… _ _She will be mine. _

He wrapped his arms around her in a protective hold. He was never going to let her go.

01010011 01100001 01100110 01100101

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing. I can't tell you all how much I appreciate you all taking the time to read and to write a little something, something at the end of each chapter. :-)

I'm sure you all have noticed how I like to include popular shows, films, books, and music in each chapter. This chapter was no exception. While I was jamming to some music, I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) by The Proclaimers came on and immediately envisioned Heero dreaming while Duo played the song in the background. I fell in love with this song when I watched the film, Benny & Joon. I do not own the song. Please be sure to support the Proclaimers by purchasing the song! :-)

Also, shoutout to my lovely beta readers: JenJenGundamFan, Ninjette Twitch, and Revy679! Thank you! XOXO

Now that Heero has returned, what do you think he is planning? What awaits these two star crossed lovers?! Stay tuned for Chapter 9 and their first official date!

In Rose,

Wings Landing


	9. The Reunion with Relena

**Chapter 9: The Reunion with Relena**

_Relena..._

Keeping his eyes closed to avoid the bright sunlight infiltrating the room, he began feeling around the bed for her since she was no longer in his arms. _Where did she go? Better yet, when did she leave?_ He scoured the bed but to no avail; he was alone in her bed.

The end of the mattress shifted slightly. _There you are._

He slowly opened his eyes and looked towards the edge of the bed. "Relena..."

Relena's long golden locks were uncharacteristically woven into a thick braid instead of her preferred two smaller braids that she ties with a bow in the back.

Blinking hard to refocus his eyes, which were trying to accommodate the blinding light, did not reveal his love but instead shone on his baka of a friend, Duo.

Heero shot upright. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Dreaming about the little lady, huh?" Duo turned around with a mischievous smile.

Heero ignored his question and asked another one of his own, "Where's Relena?"

Duo shrugged. "I dunno."

Heero yanked his braid back pulling him onto the comforter and he glared daggers at him. "You're supposed to be protecting her." Duo swallowed in fear. When he didn't answer, Heero yelled, "WHERE is she?!" clearly livid about Duo's lack of response.

"Woah! Easy with the hair man!"

"Answer me now or I'll cut it off!"

Duo's face visibly paled as the threat sunk in. Taking one look at Heero, he knew that it wasn't an empty one. "Calm down, dude! Take a chill pill or something. She's with Trowa. It's still his shift."

Heero yanked his braid again. "Don't let me ever catch you in Relena's bedroom again. Understood?!" Duo nodded vigorously while attempting to peel Heero's steel grip off of his most prized possession.

"Say it!" Heero yelled.

Duo yielded and held his hands up in surrender. "I swear I won't be caught in Relena's bedroom again." Then he flexed his smallest finger. "Pinky promise?"

Rolling his eyes, Heero finally released him, swatting Duo's hand away, then got up and threw on his clothes. He completely forgot about his injury, thus he neglected to put back on the sling.

After a quick rap on the door, Trowa walked casually into the room, completely unaware of what had just transpired.

"Where's Relena?" Heero asked pointedly. "Duo said she's supposed to be with you."

Trowa slightly raised in an eyebrow at the pilot's tone, but then again, it was Heero. He quickly and calmly responded, "She was. Relena wanted to do some work in her father's office for a little bit. She's safe in there."

"Have you cleared St. Gabriel's?"

"Not entirely. I conducted a thorough air search with a drone, though. I was just coming to retrieve Duo so we could get going." Trowa motioned Duo over with a tilt of his head.

Apparently, he didn't see or get the hint because Heero demanded, "Duo get off the bed and get to work."

"Yes, boss!" Duo saluated with crossed eyes and ridiculous expression on his face.

Even though Heero was facing away from him, he must have sensed his friends antics because he launched a throw pillow straight into his face, knocking Duo over in the process.

"Ouch! What'd you do that for?" Came a distress signal from under the pillow.

"We don't have time to talk about all of the reasons why you deserved that." Heero headed out the door, leaving a snickering Trowa to deal with the incompetent pilot.

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

Heero marched down the hallway to the office and entered without knocking. Relena gasped and jumped a little in her father's leather chair. "Heero! Goodness, you scared me."

"Sorry." He walked over and laid his hands flat on the desk.

"How are you?"

"I'm alright."

"You didn't even budge when I got up this morning and you were snoring, rather loudly I might add."

"I do not snore!" Heero protested.

"Probably not under usual circumstances but you were practically passed out. You're still injured, Heero. You should take care of yourself. Speaking of which, where is your sling?"

"I don't need it. My arm feels fine."

"But you need to heal," she replied gently but concern danced across her features.

"I will and I am."

_He's so stubborn!_ Sighing, Relena pushed herself away from the desk and walked to Heero. Leaning her "cute butt" against the desk, she laid her hand over his. "Heero…"

"Hmm?"

"I wish you would wear the sling."

His eyes softened as he looked at her. He stood upright and removed his hands from the desk but his other hand, his right hand, toyed with her left hand, particularly, and subconsciously her ring finger. He leaned in closer, taking in her intoxicating aroma. She smelled heavenly and looked incredibly beautiful in her oversized sweatshirt and leggings. He couldn't resist her charm anymore. He had to taste her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned down to kiss her. His tongue licked her lips before darting into her mouth to dance with hers. She moaned into his mouth, causing him to deepen their kiss and press his arousal into her stomach. _He's so hard._

Heero began to nibble on her earlobe. He bent down and easily picked her up, setting her on top of the desk.

"Heero! Your arm!"

"Is fine." He drowned out her protests when he recaptured her lips.

It felt so good. Relena began to burn with desire and need as Heero pushed his confined cock against her center. Positioning his hand in between their bodies, he found her covered lower lips, rubbing up and down, he parted them in the process. Finding his next target, he swirled light circles around her rosebud. She threw back her head in pleasure. As much as she wanted him, she had so much to get done and she didn't want to lose her virginity in her dad's office. Suddenly she felt him pulling down her pants. _No. _She forcefully grabbed his hand to still him. He pulled away from their kiss to search her eyes for an explanation.

"Heero…"

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"No, of course not. It's just... I want you, I do, but not here. Not in the morning and certainly not on my father's desk."

He continued to look at her as he processed everything she said. He wasn't thinking very clearly, at least with one of his heads. All he could do was nod and pull away from her.

"I'm sorry, Heero. I want you. I want this but not in here." She reached for him. He willingly came back to her. She kissed him chastely on his swollen lips. "I'm still not feeling very well and I have a lot of work to do," she said as she looked at the numerous papers strewn about.

"It's okay." He reached up to smooth her hair. "There's no need to apologize, Relena. I understand." He kissed her cheek and gently brought her back down from the desk.

"Thank you, Heero."

"I'd do anything for you, Relena."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words.

"I know and I love you for it," she breathed dreamily. Even though he still hadn't said the three words she desperately craved to hear, she'd take the few words he gave her in the meantime. They had come so far over the past few years, especially over the course of this week. She was thrilled that they were finally together, even though they hadn't given _this_ a name yet. Heero was a man of few words and his actions often spoke for themselves. He promised to protect her and would willingly give his life for her. He loved her. She was sure of it.

He gave her a kiss goodbye, allowing himself one last glance before leaving Relena to her work.

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

After taking a stroll around the perimeter of the mansion in the frigid air and blowing snow, Heero finally cooled down. He was going to take a cold shower but he needed to check to make sure all of the cameras were still free of snow. Brushing the flakes off his chocolate unkempt hair, he stepped inside the back entrance foyer and walked down one of the many grandeur hallways.

"Heero? Is that you?" He heard Mrs. Darlian call from the drawing room.

He turned around and headed back to the source of his name. "Good morning, Mareen."

"Good morning, Heero. Have you had breakfast?"

He shook his head no before he answered, "Not yet."

"Let's go down for a little something to eat, shall we? I, myself, did not have breakfast either." Mareen set down a rather large book on the end table before getting up.

"What are you reading?"

"Nothing actually. They are just memories. It's one of my many photo albums of Relena. Would you like to see?" Mareen opened up the massive binder to reveal a singed baby photo. "This is the only baby photo we have of Relena. My husband was able to salvage it from the ruins after the fire." She traced Relena's tiny form with a finger, smiling at the distant memory of her young daughter. "Here, you should look through it. Although, I'm sure there are probably some rather embarrassing photos of her in there that she probably doesn't want you to see." She lightly laughed as she handed the keepsake over to him.

"Perhaps we can look through it together and you can recount the stories behind the embarrassing pictures?" Heero offered.

Mareen laughed again and shook her head in agreement. "Excellent idea!"

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

"Ma'am, good morning to you." Mrs. Tilney dried her hands on a dishcloth and turned to Heero. "Well, well, well, did you finally come down for a bite to eat? Your friends gobbled up everything I prepared and left nothing for the rest of us. But have no fear, because I am here and I'm making some blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup, bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns."

"That's quite a spread," Mareen exclaimed as she poured herself and Heero a cup of tea.

"Not at all." Mrs. Tilney waved her comment off with a whisk. "Just find a seat, dearie. The food will be done momentarily."

Heero gently set down Relena's photo album and took a seat. Mareen flipped through the book and retold memories from long ago while he sipped on his cup of piping hot tea. She turned yet another page and Heero's heart stopped.

Relena appeared to be about 6 years old in the photo, wearing a white sundress with a matching hat and a yellow ribbon. It was very similar, if not the exact same dress, as the one that the little girl walking her dog, Mary, wore all those years ago. It took every bit of energy he had to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat and to release a breath that he didn't even realize he had been holding.

Thankfully, Mareen didn't seem to notice as she was watching in fascination as Mrs. Tilney flipped several pancakes in the pan with only a flick of the wrist. Taking one last look at young Relena in the white dress, he silently renewed his vow to never kill again and turned the page. This time she was dressed up as a doctor. She wore a white lab coat on, a stethoscope around her neck, and a medical bag. Her words came back to him, "_I've always wanted to help others_." He glanced over at his right shoulder and remembered how well she had stitched him up._ She would be an excellent doctor. _

_Relena would be an excellent mother, too. _

_I wonder if her kids will look like her. Does she want kids? Of course, she does_. He had overheard Relena and Hilde chatting about how many children they each wanted, although he couldn't remember the exact number she wanted.

_But if she were going to have children… that would mean… Relena would be married… She would have a husband… that would be the father of her children… of their children. _Heero connected the dots. If Relena had children, he would not only be her husband but he would be the father of their children.

Heero set down his fork at the thought. _A father?_ He set back in his chair as he contemplated the thought. _But can I even father a child?_ Biologically, he wasn't sure. Dr. J had always told him that he was sterile. _I have to tell Relena. She should know. But how? Would she still want me? She deserves someone who can give her biological children. _The thought of not being able to give her everything she wanted and deserved made him ill. He couldn't bear disappointing her.

"Dig in!" Mrs. Tilney set another fresh stack of blueberry pancakes on the silver platter in front of him.

Shaking off the thought of her being disappointed, Heero put some more pancakes on his plate, which he quickly devoured, along with about half a pound of bacon, a huge helping of eggs and hashbrowns. "That was delicious. Thank you."

"Yes, your pancakes were absolutely scrumptious!" Mareen chimed in.

With her hands on her hips, Mrs. Tilney examined the food or rather lack thereof and exclaimed, "Good gracious! You boys have quite the appetite. I'll have to start making larger meals with all of you here." She picked up the serving plates and bowls and was just about to round the island when Pagan walked in and ran straight into her. "Oh my!" Mrs. Tilney shouted as she dropped the dishes. Extraordinarily enough, Pagan happened to catch all of them with his lightning fast reflexes before they hit the ground. Quick enough that even Heero was impressed.

They both flushed as they stood up. "Thank you! I'd better get these washed up." She hastily took the serving dishes from Pagan and darted over to the sink. He watched her in confusion while Heero chuckled to himself as he looked on at the scene in front of him.

Pagan cleared his throat and turned towards Mrs. Darlian, "Ma'am, there is a phone call for you. Mrs. Noventa is on the line." _Mrs. Noventa?!_

Mareen took one more sip of her tea before replying, "Thank you, Pagan. I'll take it in the drawing room."

Pagan nodded and stole one more glance at Mrs. Tilney, as well as a cookie from the island counter, before leaving. Once the butler had left, the cook briefly turned around and smiled when she noticed that he had taken a cookie.

Heero got up from the table and thanked her again for the delicious meal. _I think he stole more than just her cookies. _He smirked as he grabbed two of the infamous heart-shaped cookies, one for him and one for his future wife and mother of his children, or so he hoped.

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

Heero lightly knocked on the office. He opened the door expecting to find Relena working buried beneath a mountain of paperwork, but no one was there. _Strange. She usually doesn't stop working this early._ He decided to check her room next when he walked in he smelled the distinct iron scent… blood. Immediately unholstering his 9mm handgun, he scanned the room for a point of entry, signs of a struggle and her. _Relena… _All he found was blood all over her bedsheets. _Damnit! Where is she?!_

He heard low groaning noises from behind him. His head snapped towards the sound. _Someone's in the bathroom._ He pointed his gun straight ahead of him and called out for Relena but there was no response. No one was in the bathroom. There was only one place someone could hide… the toilet. He hid behind the wall for cover just in case someone was ready to shoot him. "Relena!"

Hearing no reply or movement, he moved quietly along the wall and in one powerful kick, he broke down the water closet door and trained his gun on it's only occupant.

Relena screamed, "Heero! What are you doing?! I'm using the bathroom!"

First, he saw her with earbuds on. _That's why she couldn't hear me._ Then, he realized that she was on her porcelain thrown and he was in her bathroom. "I saw blood on your bed, I thought…"

"I'm fine!" She had pulled her sweatshirt down with both of her hands protecting him from seeing her lady bits. He still wasn't moving so she asked, "Can I have some privacy?!"

Shocked and disoriented, Heero blushed furiously making apologies as he backed up and out of the bathroom. He just sat on her bed, unsure of what to do or think, his gun still in his hand. The crimson stains caught the corner of his eye as he looked back to the blood. _What happened?!_

Relena came out of the bathroom with her hands on her back. Heero stood up waiting for her to elaborate on the situation, but instead she said, "I need to go to the store."

"Why?" Heero looked at her scrutinously.

"I just need to get a few things."

"It's not safe, Relena." Heero said firmly. "And what the hell happened?! Did you hurt yourself?"

"No, I'm not hurt. I wasn't feeling well so I laid down to take a short nap but when I woke up… I… I was covered…" a pink tint colored her cheeks as she gestured to her lower half of her body. "I really need to go to the store, Heero." Relena nervously wrung her hands in front of her.

Heero reached for her. "Relena, stop. Are you on your period?"

"Yeah… I just started my period and I don't have anything here."

"What do you need?" He held her in his arms and ran his hands along her lower back massaging her trying to relieve some tension she was likely experiencing. Again, he relied on intel from his best friend on this matter.

"Ummm...I need some pads and tampons." She blushed profusely.

_Her period explains a lot of things… why she was moody earlier, why she didn't feel good last night, and why she didn't want to do anything this morning. _He wished she would have just told him. Now that he knew the signs he made mental note of them and the date. He would be better prepared next time. He holstered his weapon at her explanation. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's natural. You can always tell me when your… you know." He pulled her into a hug, squeezing her to him as he kissed her. "I'll get some for you. What kind do you want?"

Shocked, Relena asked, "Really? Are you sure you're okay with buying feminine products?"

"Yeah. It's what you need, right?"

"Yeah… I just wasn't expecting you to offer. And you're still hurt. Are you sure you're okay to drive?"

"Relena, look at me. I'll be just fine." Heero pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You can tell me anything. I'll always be here for you. Now, tell me what you need."

Heero made a mental note as Relena rattled off the specific brand and kind she wanted but also gave him her second and third choices if her favorite brand wasn't available. For some reason she was rather picky but he didn't say anything. He would get her whatever she needed.

"Okay, I'll be back in a little bit. Is there anything else you want?"

"No, I think that's all I need."

Heero released Relena from his grip and pushed past her into the bathroom.

"Heero?" Confused, Relena followed him into the bathroom, only to find him getting ready to turn on the water.

"Take a jacuzzi bath and turn on the jets. It will help any cramping you have." Heero stood up and gave her a kiss. "I'll be back in a little bit. Just call me if you need or want anything else." Flabbergasted, Relena just stood there and nodded.

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

Heero met Pagan down the hall.

"Heero, don't forget to get some ice cream."

"What?" He quirked an eye at Pagan's comment.

"You should get chocolate ice cream while your at the store. There isn't any in the freezer and Miss Relena will want some during this particular time of month. She always does."

_Ahh._ Catching his meaning, Heero thanked him for his advice. Pagan nodded as Heero left to go to the store.

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

**St. Gabriel's Academy**

Heero pulled into St. Gabriel's Academy where Trowa and Duo successfully secured his date with Relena. Duo waved down at his friend and motioned him to come inside. Heero made the trek up the freshly shoveled path and stairs.

Duo was rubbing his arms vigorously when Heero came in the door. "It's so damn cold out there!"

"Thankfully, I was able to restore the heat to most of the building." Trowa walked up to Heero.

"What's in the bag?" Duo asked through his chattering teeth. "You don't trust us?"

"No, I just need to set some things up," Heero replied.

"What things?"

Heero held up a thumb drive, "Music."

Duo held out his hand. "Gimme. You get back to the Princess and we'll finish setting this place up."

"Yeah, we'll take care of it. I also took the liberty of stringing up some lights in the ballroom."

Heero quirked an eyebrow at Trowa.

"Come take a look."

When they got to the ballroom, Trowa flipped on the string lights and Duo switched on the music. It was perfect.

_Relena will love it. _He nodded to his friends.

"Anything at all for the one you love," Duo said as Heero walked out the door.

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

**Darlian Estate**

It was mid-afternoon when Heero entered Relena's bedroom and set her lady items on her freshly made bed where Relena laid on her stomach with a heating pad underneath her.

He got on the bed and laid down next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better since I took a bath. Those jets really helped. Thanks."

Heero nodded. "Good, I'm glad." He ran his hand over her lower back and massaged her. "You look tired. You should take a little nap before we go out tonight."

"Huh? We're going out tonight?"

"Yeah, tonight I'd like to take you out." Heero continued to massage her.

"Mmm." Relena moaned under his ministrations. "Take me out? But, I thought you said it wasn't safe."

"You're safe with me. Plus, Duo and Trowa has secured the location where we will be going."

"So... is this a date?"

"Sure, call it whatever you like."

"What should I wear?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll have something for you when you get there." Heero smiled and left the room, leaving Relena to fantasize about what he had planned.

_A date?! Yes! We're going on a date! _Relena was absolutely ecstatic as she spun around in her room.

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

"Heero, where are we going?" A blindfolded Relena asked.

Smirking, Heero replied, "You'll see."

She "looked" over at him smiling. "I'm so excited! Thank you for planning this all out."

_Anything at all for the one you love. _Duo's word reverberated inside of his head as he drove to their destination.

The car slowed to a stop. "We're here. Keep your blindfold on."

Heero got out and rounded the front of the car to open Relena's door for her. Taking her hand, he helped her out of the car and untied the blindfold while giving her a gentle kiss. He pulled it away and stepped off to the side so she could see where he had taken her.

Relena's eyes opened and she was indeed very shocked at where he had taken her.

"St. Gabriel's?!"

He gave her one of his rare broad smiles as he looped her arm in his and led her inside.

"Good evening and welcome to St. Gabriel's. May I take your coats?" Another welcome surprise as a serious Duo warmly greeted them in a butler's uniform.

"Yes, thank you." Relena began to shrug off her coat when Heero reached over to help and slipped it off her shoulders for her. He handed Duo their coats and led Relena down the hallway and up the stairs.

"This is…" Relena looked to Heero with questions in her eyes as he opened the door for her.

"So even you can be surprised," he playfully said with a knowing smirk.

She laughed and continuing their reminiscing conversation. "Are you planning to kill me, Heero?" Relena casually asked as she walked around his old dorm room.

Heero laughed, "No, but I am planning on feeding you."

Just then, Duo, now dressed as a chef with a tall white togue on top of his head, appeared with a dining cart with two rounded silver covers and an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne.

Heero pulled out a chair for Relena to sit in. She gracefully took her seat as Duo said in a French accent, "Dinner is served."

Heero took his seat as Duo placed a napkin in Relena's lap, then his own, and set the table before popping open the cork on the champagne and pouring the couple a glass. He uncovered their dinner plates and set the plates in front of them.

"Bon Appetit!" He said with a bow before taking his leave.

Relena's eyes welled up with tears at the sight of the dinner Heero had planned for her. _He's so thoughtful._ "Heero, this is… this is just so perfect." A tear spilled over and down her cheek.

Heero reached over to her and wiped it away with his thumb. "I'd do anything to make you smile."

More tears fell down her face at his words. He continued to wipe them away then he kissed her cheeks, eyelids and finally her soft pink lips.

He released her lips and rose his champagne flute, "to many more dates with you."

She giggled and rose her glass to clink it against his. They took a drink and began to eat their gourmet steak dinner.

"That was delicious!"

"Mhmm." He helped her out of the chair and brought her into a passionate embrace as he kissed her senselessly.

"Heero…"

"I have another surprise for you." He backed up and reached into the small closet to fetch it.

Relena's mouth fell open when she saw it. "My dress! How did you?! When?! Oh! I love it! Thank you!" She grabbed it from him and hugged her gift before reaching up on her tippy toes to give him a big kiss on his lips.

He opened a drawer to retrieve her pearl necklace and oval sapphire earrings as well as a pair of snow white gloves.

Relena laid her dress on the bed to accept the jewelry from Heero.

"Get dressed, and I'll meet you outside in the hallway when you're ready."

She happily nodded and spun around when he closed the door. _This is the best date ever!_

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

She opened the door to find a very handsomely dressed Heero leaning against the railing with his head down and arms crossed. _I know he hates getting dressed up but he looks so good when he does! _

Heero looked up and took in the goddess before him. She was even more beautiful in the dress than he remembered.

She twirled in front of him. "How do I look?"

"Absolutely stunning." He tucked her arm around his and led her down the stairs.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw Trowa in a dark gray suit with a green tie, holding something shiny. She couldn't quite tell what it was until he put it to his lips. He played a few notes and nodded over to Duo who walked over to a grand piano. He had changed yet again into a black coattails. Assuming the role of a professional pianist, he sat down, he flipped the coattails over the seat, flipped open the music book and began to play. Well not _really_. He pretended to play piano an interlude while the speakers projected the actual music. Relena lightly laughed as she brought a hand up to her lips. Duo continued on with his _performance_ and Trowa joined in on the flute. It only took a few notes for Relena to recognize the song.

"Edelweiss," she whispered as she made her way over to the piano, she began to sing…

Edelweiss…

Edelweiss…

Every morning you greet me  
Small and white, clean and bright  
You look happy to meet me  
Blossom of snow  
May you bloom and grow  
Bloom and grow forever...

Edelweiss...  
Edelweiss...  
Bless my homeland forever...  
Small and white, clean and bright  
You look happy to meet me  
Blossom of snow  
May you bloom and grow  
Bloom and grow forever...

Edelweiss...  
Edelweiss...  
Bless my homeland forever...

When the song came to an end, Relena gracefully bowed as the three Gundam pilots all applauded her. Heero took her gloved hand, spun her around and brought her close to him, into an intimate hold and nodded to his co-conspirators. They took his cue and began to perform "To Beauty, To Elegance, And To Noble-Mindedness", the song they danced to so long ago; _their song._

"I didn't know you could sing," he said as he led her around the dance floor.

"I was in choir for several years."

"You have a beautiful voice," he complimented.

Heero was a much more accomplished dancer now. His posture wasn't as rigid or stiff anymore. It helped that he now loved the woman in his arms. Before, she was an obstacle to his mission. Then somehow, she _became_ his mission. His strong hold reflected just that. He wouldn't let her falter or stumble; not if he could help it. He spun her around and around, letting her show off her beauty and grace, only to take her back into his arms as they danced. 1, 2, 3… 1, 2, 3… They gently rose on the upbeats and fell on the downbeats together. 1, 2, 3… 1, 2, 3… Moving counterclockwise around the ballroom, perfectly in sync with each other, they lost themselves gazing into one another's eyes. The music had stopped but they kept dancing their own endless waltz.

"Everything this guy does is completely thorough and well thought out. _Everything_ Heero Yuy does," Trowa said lowly to the other pilot.

"Yeah! Tell me about it!" Duo replied. "He really loves her."

01000100 01100001 01110100 01100101

* * *

**Author's Note:**

FINALLY! A date! What did you think of their first official date?! Relena has said those three special words to him countless times but Heero has yet to reciprocate… Verbally that is. He wants to tell her but unsure of how she will take it that he is infertile. Feeling insecure and inadequate for her, Heero hesitates while trying to formulate a plan. He wants her and more than anything else he wants her to be happy. When will he finally tell her he loves her?

Edelweiss was composed by Richard Rogers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein.

"The Reunion with Relena" is the title to episode 30. I couldn't help but use the title here as well.

Huge shout out to my friends and betas, Ninjette Twitch and Revy679! And a SPECIAL THANK YOU to my readers! Love you guys! Thanks for reviewing Chapter 8, Kat and JenJenGundamFan!

Be sure to follow me, Wings Landing, on Tumblr! I post a lot of random 1xR and Gundam Wing goodies that you'll love! ;-)

In Rose,

Wings Landing


	10. The Whereabouts of Happiness

**Chapter 10: The Whereabouts of Happiness**

Heero padded across Relena's bedroom and into her closet where she sat criss cross in an oversized shirt, baggy sweatpants, and comfy socks. Her hair was uncharacteristically up in a messy bun, loops of her golden hair wove in and out while other strands stuck out randomly, but Heero loved the sight before him. _She's so beautiful._

"Feeling any better this morning?" he asked as he crouched down.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you."

"I'm glad." Heero gave her a kiss as he settled onto the floor right behind her. Rubbing and kneading her lower back to help release any tension from her cramps.

"Me too. My cramps were absolutely terrible earlier this morning but they are much better now."

"You should have let me know," Heero said, gently chiding her.

"I didn't want to wake you. Besides, you need your rest so you can fully recover from your injuries." Relena brushed her fingers over his bandaged wound. He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm before he brought it to rest of his cheek. Nuzzling against her, he said, "don't worry about me." Relena let out a long sigh and looked at him with worried eyes, "I always worry about you, you know that."

"I know and you need to stop," he said in a serious tone, staring directly at her. His warning, like many of his others, did not phase or deter her. "No can do, Yuy," she playfully said as she leaned in close. Then the words, "I love you" flowed from her lips onto his before they locked lips. He conceded to her as she erased every rational thought from his mind. His body urged him to continue, to take things further, to rip off her clothes and to make her his right then and there but he controlled himself. Releasing her lips, he pulled away and sat back against the wall, trying to regain his senses. He looked at her, how gorgeous she was with those oceanic blue-green orbs that were beckoning him to love her, and he tried, very hard, to think of anything besides how much he wanted to undress her. Despite all of his blood pooling in one particular body part, his brain somehow managed to formulate a coherent question. Without further delay, he asked, "what are your plans today?"

She groaned, "Ughhhh, I have so much to do today. I don't know how I'm going to get it all done." Relena threw up her hands in frustration and looked at the organized chaos around her. She looked back at him with a pouty lower lip that even the perfect soldier couldn't resist. He pulled her back into his arms so he could hold her.

Relena smiled to herself and leaned her head back against his chest, closing her eyes to listen to his heart. The rhythmic beat instantly soothed her. He alone had the power to bring her peace.

Heero lowered his head on top of hers and murmured into her hair, "Would you like some help?"

She glanced up at him through her long lashes and smiled, "Thanks, but I don't even know what I need help with at the moment." Sighing, "I just need to sort through all of _this_." She gestured to all of her piles in one sweeping motion.

"Hmm. Sounds like you need to stop keeping so much stuff."

Relena leaned up and rotated just enough to playfully smack him as if she was actually offended. "I am a hoarder and I freely admit it. You'll just have to put up with me, I suppose." She shrugged her shoulders before leaning back into him.

Heero's chest rumbled in laughter as wrapped his arms around her once again and kissed her on her temple. "I guess I'll stick around."

"You better, mister! I need protection."

"You mean, from yourself, right?" He teased back before lightly pressing feathery kisses on her cheek to her ear.

She wasn't sure where this playful Heero had come from or if he had always been like this underneath his tough outward appearance. _Maybe this is the kind-hearted boy that Dr. J was referring to,_ she contemplated. _I'll love him for who he is, regardless of who he was designed to be. _

Biting her earlobe, he "Mmm, maybe," she relented. Heero took advantage of her exposed neck, nibbling on the sensitive flesh there. She moaned and moved her neck further to the side to give him even more access. "You keep making those sounds and I'm not going to be able to control myself," he seductively whispered into her ear.

"The great Heero Yuy lose control? Surely, that's impossible."

Heero bucked his hips against her backside as he grabbed her breast with one hand and reached between her legs with the other. "You're driving me crazy."

"Am I?" She put her hands over his and pressed them into her as she rolled her head back moaning in pleasure.

"You're such a tease," he growled into her ear, biting her earlobe in retaliation.

"You know you love it." She released his hands and turned around, getting up on all fours.

"Hmmm."

Her lips found his as she slowly pushed him backwards so he laid down on the carpet. Straddling him, she slowly grinded her hips in a circular motion against his hard arousal as she trailed kisses down his neck to his collar. She made fast work of his button down Preventer work shirt, tearing his shirt open to continue her journey down his perfectly chiseled body.

Strong hands grabbed her shoulders just before she began to work on his pants. "Relena, someone might walk in." She looked up at him with lustful eyes and smiled. "I don't care."

"Relena…" His voice protested but his hands did nothing to stop her this time.

"I'll be quick." She flung open his belt, unbuttoned his pants and tugged the zipper down.

Heero shifted over and reached to push the closet door closed, then he settled back onto the floor as her hands roamed his firm torso. Her touch set his skin on fire, he was burning for her and she knew it. Watching her hover right above his cock and feeling her hot breath on him was pure torture.

_He's magnificent. Too bad I can't ride him right now. Damn period. I'll just have to mount him another time._ Relena lowered her head and kissed his covered rock hard arousal. Heero worked his pants down as she reached in his underwear, releasing his velvet covered steel from it's confinement and eagerly took him into her warm, wet mouth. She moved up and down his rather impressive length, licking and sucking him like her life depended on it.

_Damn, she's good. _She had only done this a few times but she already knew how to work him like a pro as he was already close to reaching his climax. He grabbed her messy bun and watched her in awe as she blew him. She was absolutely memorizing, bobbing up and down, and making those irresistible wet sucking sounds with her talented mouth. It was too much for him to handle.

Sensing he was about to blow his load, Relena sped up her pace and sucked on him harder. Hearing him grunt and moan her name in a desperate plea for release only made her more determined to make him come. She took all of him in her mouth and sucked on his entire rod as she slowly brought her head up and freed him with a "pop". She admired the view of his red swollen head leaking milky white liquid. _Mmmm… he looks delicious._ She had to have a taste. She flicked her tongue over his head to lap up the salty jizz. She was right, he was delicious. And she wanted more.

"Relena…" Heero moaned again as he thrust up his cock into her open mouth. Her lips closed around his thick member and continued her tantalizing motions. His breathing was so rapid as he grunted and spilled his hot seed inside of her.

She didn't want any to go to waste so she swallowed every last drop of his nectar and licked him clean. _Someday, we'll make love and he'll come inside of me. Perhaps, we'll even make a kid or two._ She smiled at the thought of him becoming her husband and the father of her children.

Heero adjusted himself, pulled back on his pants and buttoned up his shirt and tucked it back into his pants. He found her swollen mouth, tasting himself as he nibbled on her lower lip. Suddenly, he rolled them over so he was on top and he whipped out his gun.

"Hey, Heero! Is that you?" The door opened. "Huh?! What the... that _definitely _wasn't what I was expecting to find."

"What the hell do you want, Maxwell?" Heero demanded.

Duo looked up at the ceiling avoiding eye contact with Heero and the woman underneath of him. "Uhhh, you know you should _really_ come up with a system to let other people know that you don't want to be disturbed!"

Heero cocked the gun in preparation to take down the braided man still standing there.

"You have three seconds before I shoot you." Heero glared at him.

"I'm going, I'm going! Sheesh!" Duo closed the door. "Put a lock on the door or something." They could hear him mutter as he walked away.

_Not a bad idea… I should do that for security purposes. _Heero dropped his arm and looked at the giggling woman beneath him. "I told you someone would come."

Relena bust out laughing. "I knew at least one person would," she said with a wink and continued to giggle some more.

His eyes narrowed. "You know what I mean."

"I know. I just couldn't resist," she replied as she reached around his neck and brought his forehead to hers. Rubbing their noses together in an eskimo kiss, he relaxed as he wrapped his arms around her to gently laid her back onto the plush ground. They passionately kissed for several minutes before coming up for air. Heero pushed himself up to look at her. He brought one hand up to cup her face. Kissing her briefly, he pulled away to watch her reaction as he slowly ran his hand down her neck, over her collarbone and breasts, gently caressing them before he continued his journey south to her skinny waist, round hips and firm ass. _Oh, God. He's good with his hands. _Relena arched her back, pressing against him as he teased her.

"Miss Relena?" Pagan called out as he knocked on her bedroom door.

_Shit!_ She inwardly groaned and Heero dropped his head against her shoulder, angry at yet another distraction. "One second." She whispered to him. "Shhhh." She put a finger up to his lips.

He lightly flicked her nose with his finger and nodded towards the door as if to say, "better get a move on".

"What were you doing in the closet?" Pagan inquired.

Heero smirked as he waited for Relena's response.

"Praying. It's good to spend some quality alone time with Lord," she quickly replied in a calm manner.

He almost laughed out loud but refrained from doing so. She had spent some time on her hands and knees but she definitely hadn't been praying.

"Well, that's good. Your mother wanted to speak with you for a moment if you aren't too busy."

"Of course! I'll be right there."

"Very good, miss." Pagan bowed and took his leave.

Relena popped her head inside of the closet. "Hey, Heero. I need to…"

He cut her off, "I heard. Go talk to your mother. I'll be right here when you return."

She nodded and practically ran out the door. _Hopefully this won't take too long._ Relena was eager to get back to Heero.

Heero looked around at the random piles of papers and things on her closet floor. One piece of folded parchment caught his eye, his name was written in elegant cursive. He picked up the envelope and opened the enclosed letter.

To my dear friend, Mr. Heero Yuy,

Your sudden visit caught me off guard and I felt I was unable to express to you the true feelings in my heart. That's why I decided I should write this letter. You made a mistake because your plan went awry in battle. You shouldn't suffer over that any longer than you already have. My husband, Noventa, died trying to build a world for the new future, where genuine young men like yourselves could live happily. I have no regrets. That's what happens in war. A wrong turn in the past can be painful for everyone. But you people are still young. I hope you think about building a new future. Our family is honored to have had the opportunity to meet with you. I pray that the day will soon arrive when all battles will cease.

Mrs. Noventa

He sat back against the wall trying to take in her words. _Why did Relena have his letter? Wait… could this be the letter she wanted me to read in Antarctica?_ He would have to ask her when she returned.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

Her mother looked up from her book as she walked into her room. "Relena, I must speak with you," she spoke in a serious tone.

_Oh, no! She knows! Mothers always know! Oh, God! She didn't hear us, did she?! _

Despite freaking out internally, Relena calmly replied, "About what?"

Sighing, Mareen set her book down. "Well, I don't quite know how to say this…"

_This is it. I'm done for. Grounded for life. I'm never going to see Heero again._

"Pagan has informed me…"

_Oh, God! Pagan knows too?! _Relena was slowly dying of embarrassment.

"... that he would like to marry Mrs. Tilney."

_Oh, thank God! Wait, what?!_

"What?" She replied calmly, despite the turmoil inside.

"He said he wants to marry Mrs. Tilney. I think it's absolutely wonderful but I don't know how I can keep this secret! What should we do?!"

Relief washed over Relena like a cool wave. "Well, did Pagan say when he was going to propose?"

Mareen put her hands on either side of her face as she screeched, "No! I didn't even think to ask him!"

"Let's find out what his plans are. Perhaps we could help?" Relena suggested.

"Yes, that's it!" Mareen got up from her chair and went over to her daughter. "Thank you so much! I knew you would know exactly what to do." She clasped her hands together. "Oh! They just make such a beautiful couple! I'm so happy for them."

Relena smiled at the thought of Mrs. Tilney and Pagan getting married. It had been a long time coming but she was thrilled to hear the news. "Me too! I hope they get married soon. Maybe they will have a winter wedding?"

"Oh, that would be lovely! Ohhhh, I can see it now." Relena's mother looked like she was in a far off land. Sighing, she folded her hands in front of her. "First things first, I must find out how and when Pagan is going to pop the question."

"Yes, that would be good."

"Excellent! Thanks again, sweetheart."

"Your welcome, Mother."

Relieved she wasn't being reprimanded, she took a deep breath and exited her mother's room.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

She entered her bedroom to find a very serious looking Heero leaning against the bed with some sort of paper. _What is it? I hope it's not bad news._

"Relena, is this the letter that you tried to deliver to me in Antarctica?" he asked point blank as he handed it over to her.

Looking it over, she instantly recognized it. "Yes, Pagan was not too thrilled with me when I asked him to fly in between you and Zechs. I'm sorry I never gave it to you. "

Shocked, Heero's mouth fell open. "Pagan was piloting the airplane?"

Before Relena could respond, Pagan replied from outside the hallway, "Yes, I have done a great many things for Miss Relena over the years. Is that Mrs. Noventa's letter?" He further stepped in Relena's bedroom as he spoke. Heero nodded. "Mrs. Darlian just informed me that Mrs. Noventa and her granddaughter, Sylvia Noventa, are planning to visit and pay their respects. Of course, your mother couldn't tell them the truth over the phone," Pagan told Relena.

"They are coming here?" Relena asked with slight panic in her voice.

"Yes, I believe they are arriving later this evening."

_Oh no… What am I going to do?! _Relena panicked yet again. _Today has been so stressful!_

"Thank you for informing me, Pagan," Relena replied calmly.

"Yes, thank you," Heero chimed in.

He bowed and turned to leave, but Relena called out to him, "Oh, I almost forgot. I believe congratulations are in order. I'm very happy for you." Pagan turned around and cheerfully replied, "Thank you, Miss Relena. I hope she accepts."

"I'm sure she will. Mrs. Tilney would be a fool to reject you," Relena complimented.

Pagan smiled broadly at her and bowed again before finally making his exit.

"So he's going to propose huh?" Heero glanced over at Relena, assessing her reaction to the whole situation.

She couldn't answer fast enough, "Yes! It's about time!"

Heero pondered her words… _It's about time. Yes, it is about time. _He had some thinking and planning to do. "Mission accepted."

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

**Darlian Estate**

**Later that afternoon**

Mareen pulled back the lace curtain to admire the winter wonderland that had come early this year. Her breath fogged up the glass as she looked out to the front lawn, just in time to see a black Rolls Royce rolling up to the gate.

"They're here." She muttered as she dropped the curtain and left the room to tell Relena that the Noventas had arrived early. Mareen wasn't quite sure how she was going to explain the situation. She wrung her hands while she made her way to her late husband's office, knowing Relena would most likely be working on her speech. Lightly tapping her knuckles on the door, she waited for a response.

"Come in!"

Mareen entered and was struck by the sight of her daughter sitting at her late husband's desk. Tears immediately filled her eyes.

"What's wrong, Mother?"

She pulled out a handkerchief trimmed with lace and dabbed her eyes. "Oh nothing, dear. Just seeing you sitting there reminds me of when you used to sit on your father's lap and pretended to help him write his speeches." Laughing through her cry, she took a deep breath before she continued. "Relena, your father would be so very proud of you, just as I am."

Relena got up and ran over to her mother, giving her a big hug. "Oh, Mother!" Together they swayed back and forth as Mareen gently rocked her daughter, soothing her as she did when she was a young girl. Grabbing a hold of Relena's forearms, she peeled her off to look at her daughter who had become quite the young woman in a blink of an eye. "There, there darling. Dry your tears." Mareen dabbed away Relena's tears with her handkerchief, then her own. "Goodness me! I am quite the waterworks today. I came to tell you that the Noventas have arrived. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to tell them that you're alive. Is there anything in particular that you wish me to say?"

"Just welcome them in and offer refreshments, then I'll come down and join you all and explain the situation myself. No need to worry about it. I'm sure Mrs. Noventa and Sylvia will understand the sensitive nature of my so-called death." Relena offered and gave her mother another squeeze.

"Alright, I think that would be best. I better get down there. I don't want them to think me rude."

"I'll be down in about ten minutes. I just want to wrap up something before I come down." Relena clasped her hands behind her back as her mother took her leave.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

Mareen entered the drawing room and greeted her old friend, Mrs. Noventa, with a warm smile and kiss on the cheek and her granddaughter with a graceful nod. "Thank you so much for coming all this way to see me," she said as she gestured to the settee. "You must be famished from your journey. I'll ring Pagan for some tea."

"That would be lovely. Thank you," Mrs. Noventa politely replied.

Mareen took her place across from the Noventas and elegantly tucked one foot behind the other. "You'll have to have some of Mrs. Tilney's sugar cookies. They are quite scrumptious!" She exclaimed. "In fact, I rather think sometimes people come here just for the cookies, instead of wanting to visit me," Mareen laughed.

"Oh yes! I remember Relena mentioning those cookies when we went shopping a few years ago," Sylvia chimed in.

Just then, Pagan arrived with a silver tray, complete with a teapot, tea cups and saucers, cream and sugar, and those delectable cookies. Mrs. Noventa readily accepted the cup and took a few sips, then took a bite of the infamous cookie. Her eyes widened as she tasted the sweet treat. "This is absolutely delicious!" She exclaimed. "You must have her enter these in a baking competition for they would surely win!"

"Yes! I'd love to know what her secret is," Sylvia concurred.

"Mrs. Tilney has won numerous awards at local bake-offs over the years. I'll be sure to pass along the compliments. She always enjoys hearing how much other people like her baking," said Mareen.

"Mareen…" Mrs. Noventa's voice turned serious as she set the delicate teacup on the saucer and rested the set on her lap. "I am terribly sorry for your loss. We were absolutely shocked when we heard the news about Relena."

Mareen stared into her steaming cup of tea, contemplating on how to reply. "Yes, well..."

At that very moment, Pagan opened the door and Relena walked in.

Mareen breathed a sigh of relief as Sylvia loudly gasped and Mrs. Noventa dropped her tea cup and saucer in complete shock. "Good heaven's child! You're alive!"

Smiling, Relena walked over to them and joined her mother on the settee as if nothing was amiss.

Pagan rushed over to clean up the spilled tea. "I'll get you another cup, Ma'am."

Mrs. Noventa just shook her head in the affirmative while staring at the ghost in front of her. Clearly, she couldn't believe her eyes. She even intentionally blinked a few times to clear her vision.

"Should I bring you a cup, Miss Relena?" Pagan offered.

"No, thank you. I just had a cup upstairs." Relena replied cheerfully.

Rather distraught by the whole situation, Mrs. Noventa and Sylvia just silently sat on the couch with their mouths agape.

Relena folded her hands in her lap, took a deep breath, then tried her best to explain. "It's a rather long story but in short my head of security thought it best that I pretended to be dead while Preventers located the terrorist and organization responsible for my assassination. They just completed their investigation and I have been cleared to return to the land of the living. Tomorrow, I will give a speech announcing that I am indeed still alive and well. That's about the gist of it." Relena let out a sigh of relief when she concluded.

"My goodness! This is absolutely remarkable!" Mrs. Noventa smiled from ear to ear. "So you weren't injured?"

"I was shot but my dress, which was made of Kevlar, deflected the bullet. I was knocked out from the force but I only had some bruising. Thankfully, nothing too serious." Relena replied.

"A dress made of Kevlar?" Mrs. Noventa laughed. "Dear me! How ever did you dance?" she asked.

"Well the material has become quite advanced over the years. It's more flexible and lightweight than it was originally."

"That's amazing! I'm so glad you're alive! The world has been at a standstill since you died. Everyone is in mourning," Sylvia replied.

"I know. I'm sorry that you came here under false pretenses but we just couldn't risk letting anyone know yet. I hope you understand," Relena said.

"Of course we understand! My late husband, Marshall Noventa, had to make several difficult decisions similar to yours many years ago. At one point, we even had to go underground to hide from some gorilla fighters. I'm just so thankful that you're here with us now," Mrs. Noventa reached over and gave Relena's clasped hands a reaffirming squeeze.

"Thank you, Mrs. Noventa. I hope to put the world at ease and resume my duties as Vice Foreign Minister as soon as possible," Relena said.

"The world will be glad to have you back," Sylvia enthused.

"Yes, but I will be sad to let her go," Mareen said as she touched Relena's cheek. "Darling, why don't you give Sylvia a tour of the gardens?" She suggested.

"Oh, I would love to see the gardens and stretch my legs for a bit," Sylvia said enthusiastically as she practically bounced in her seat.

"Let's head out then." Relena stood and bent over to peck a kiss on her mother's cheek. "We won't be too long."

"Don't worry about us. Go and enjoy yourselves!" said Mrs. Noventa.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

As they retrieved their coats and hats from the footmen, Relena caught a glimpse of a dark shadow sneaking down towards the kitchen. _Oh Duo…_ She couldn't help but giggle. The man had a bottomless stomach; he was always hungry.

Sylvia must not have noticed because she didn't say anything. She seemed to be preoccupied with adjusting her hat and checking herself out instead of paying attention to her surroundings.

Relena led Sylvia outside where the gardeners had recently arranged magnificently carved ice sculptures throughout the gardens. Neither one of them had seen each other for a long time so it was nice to catch up one on one. They talked about their families, friends from prep school, and the upcoming fashion show in Paris.

During a lull in the conversation, Sylvia exclaimed, "Wow! These are absolutely beautiful!"

"Yes, they are. This one is my favorite." Relena gestured over to a perfectly sculpted horse made out of snow.

"How extraordinary!" Sylvia carefully inspected it from all angles and suddenly froze. "My! What a remarkable specimen." She said in a rather low voice.

Relena looked over to see her friend ogling something. In order to get a glimpse of said specimen, Relena leaned over and looked over to see Heero's profile. Her cheeks immediately flared red and she glared into the back of Sylvia's head as murderous thoughts began racing through her pacifist mind.

Sylvia shook her head. "I don't believe it. It's Heero Yuy."

At the sound of his name, Heero's head snapped over in their direction. Emotion flickered across his eyes which made Relena's heart sink. Then he looked back the other direction said something to Trowa, who had been shielded by a shrub.

Relena tried to control her racing heart. _How does Sylvia know Heero?! And how dare she make eyes at him! I'll show her! _

"Relena?"

His deep voice brought her out of her jealous thoughts. When she looked up at him, he looked concerned and somewhat confused. She put on her diplomatic smile and mask she wore so well.

"Heero," she said curtly.

His eyebrows twitched as his eyes slightly narrowed at her short tone. He didn't understand what was wrong or if he somehow made her mad. Perhaps, she was mad that he interrupted her time with her friend?

"Heero Yuy. I can't believe it's you. It's good to see you again," Sylvia finally spoke.

Nodding, Heero said, "You as well. I hope you and your grandmother had a good trip here."

"We did. Thank you," she pointed between him and Relena. "So how do you two know each other?"

"Heero is the head of my security _and my boyfriend._" Relena made sure to emphasize the last part of the sentence for good measure.

Heero smirked down at her. _Ahh… That's it. She's jealous_. While he enjoyed her claiming him as her boyfriend, he didn't want her to be rude to her friend because of him. So he hooked an arm around Relena in an attempt to make her feel more secure and said, "Yes, I'm her bodyguard and we are together." He gave Relena's waist a firm squeeze when he said "together".

Relena beamed up at him. Heero eyes pierced through the icy layer that had built up over her heart which simultaneously warmed her soul and weakened her knees.

"Well don't you two look picture perfect!" Sylvia genuinely smiled.

"Thank you. Heero is quite amazing and so good to me." Relena replied as she continued staring into his deep Prussian blue eyes.

"I see that." Sylvia said before clearing her throat.

Relena's attention shifted to her friend's. "So how do you know each other?"

"I met Heero when he went in search of the surviving family members from the attack at the New Edwards Base to apologize for killing my grandfather."

Relena's eyes filled with sadness. "I didn't realize… I never made the connection. I'm so sorry, Sylvia."

"It's alright. That's what happens in war. I forgave him a long time ago." Sylvia replied with a genuine smile. "Isn't that right, Heero?"

He nodded but said nothing.

"That man over there." She nodded towards Trowa. "He looks so familiar but I can't place him."

"He was with me when I visited your grandfather's grave."

"Oh." Sylvia smiled over at the stranger. "Well, I am _dying_ to meet him," she laughed.

It was then that Relena realized that Heero wasn't the one she had been looking at after all. It was Trowa. Trying to contain her laughter, she covered her mouth and glanced away. Heero quirked an eyebrow at her, silently asking for an explanation but Relena just shook her head. Sylvia smacked Relena with the back of her hand and gave her an expectant look. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Oh yes, of course! Forgive me." Relena quickly replied. "Trowa!" Relena waved him over. He walked towards them with his hands in his pockets. Before Relena could introduce him, he said, "Hello, my name is Trowa. Trowa Barton."

Sylvia flashed a flirtatious smile and replied, "Sylvia Noventa." She offered her hand but instead of shaking it, Trowa took her gloved hand in his and placed a light kiss on her knuckles. Blushing at his bold move, Sylvia barely got out the words, "Pleasure to meet you."

"I assure you, the pleasure is all mine, Miss Noventa."

"Well then, call me Sylvia."

"Very well, Sylvia." Trowa turned to Heero and Relena who had been watching the exchange and said, "Heero didn't you have some questions for Relena in regards to her speech?"

Taking his hint, Heero replied, "Yes. Come on." Moving his arm from around her waist, he offered Relena his arm as if he was escorting her and she gladly linked hers with his.

Surprisingly, the perfect soldier was the perfect gentleman. _I wonder where he learned these manners and etiquette._

"I hope you know what you're doing." Heero quietly said to Trowa as he was about to walk past him.

A flash crossed Trowa's eyes as he replied, "I'm just following my emotions."

Heero almost laughed at his response but he felt a tug on his arm.

"What did Trowa say?" Relena asked in a whisper.

"He said he's just following his emotions."

"Psh! More like following his dick if you ask me." Relena brazingly said.

Heero did laugh at her unfiltered and surprisingly vulgar comment. "Relena…" he said in a disapproving voice.

"What?! They clearly have some chemistry." Relena shrugged her shoulders.

"Hn."

Heero opened the door and helped Relena remove her coat. She took off her hat and gloves, then checked her appearance in the mirror and smoothed her hair.

"Was there actually something you needed to ask me or was Trowa just trying to get rid of us?"

"No, I don't. I can set up the comlink whenever you're ready to give your speech."

Relena smiled and nodded. "Thanks. Could you listen to my speech and tell me what you think?"

"Sure, although I don't know what kind of help I'll be." He was glad that she asked him for help even though he doubted what he could contribute. She was the gifted pacifist who excelled at public speaking. He on the other hand… was a professional assassin.

"Great, thank you so much! I had better get back inside to speak with Mother and Mrs. Noventa." She turned to walk away but Heero caught her hand and pulled her back to him. He kissed her cold lips and warmed them with his tongue before slipping into her mouth to taste her. As he deepened their kiss, he felt her relax in his embrace. He loved the effect he had on her and the effect she had on him. She made him feel things he had never dreamed of.

"Relena!" Mareen shouted from somewhere in the house brought them out of their own little world and back to reality.

Frustrated, Relena let out a heavy sigh and said, "I'm sorry. I have to go." She began to pull away.

"Don't be. I'll be right here." Heero pulled her close to him and kissed her ear. "We'll continue this later." He practically growled into her neck before releasing her and walking away.

A shiver ran down her back and her breath quickened in response to his comment about their plans for later. She couldn't wait. Biting her lip, she daydreamed about all of the possibilities.

"Relena!" Her mother yelled, snapping Relena out of her happy place once again.

Sighing, she shook her hopes away and started down the hall towards her mother's voice.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

After dinner, Trowa and Sylvia were lost in conversation and each other. Somehow all of the sugar cookies magically disappeared seemingly without a trance save for the few crumbs Heero spied on Duo's shirt. Heero did not want to appear rude while speaking with Mrs. Noventa so he made a mental note to kick Duo's ass for eating all of the cookies.

"Heero, I can't tell you how happy I am that you survived the war. It's young men like yourselves that will support Relena's ideals and ultimately make them a reality." She gestured with her glass of champagne over to Relena, who was laughing at something Duo said.

"It's important to protect the peace we fought so hard for," he agreed.

"I haven't been here long and I don't claim to know you very well, but I will speak frankly with you. Heero, even in my old age I can see quite clearly." She leaned in towards him as she spoke. "You and Miss Relena are connected by an unbreakable bond that most will never get to experience." She looked at him pointedly. "Do not miss this chance. You will not get another one like it."

He didn't quite know what to say so he only nodded. Thankfully, the object of their conversation had made her way over to them leaving Mrs. Darlian to babysit Duo. Relena looked absolutely radiant tonight in her little black dress. So beautiful, in fact, that all he wanted to do was whisk her away. She said something to Mrs. Noventa but he didn't hear her words, he was too caught up in the way her lips moved that he neglected to pay any attention. Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice as she gave him a quick glance and smile before turning back to Mrs. Noventa.

"Relena, dearest, I am so glad that you are safe and alive." She cupped Relena's cheek in motherly love, then looked to Heero. "You, young man, must protect this precious girl and everything she represents. That is your solemn duty."

He offered her a small smile. "I will do my utmost to ensure her safety, now and always." He tucked Relena's arm in his, laying his hand over hers.

"Excellent. We're all counting on you two, you know. We have great expectations," she said while knowingly smiling at the young couple who were so clearly in love. "Well, I think it's rather late and past my bedtime. I am going to head up to bed now."

"Very well, have a good night. We'll see you tomorrow morning," Relena replied.

Once Mrs. Noventa left, Heero scanned the room and couldn't help but notice how close Trowa and Sylvia were standing to one another or how they were looking at each other. _Atta boy, Trowa_, he thought. He glanced down to an oblivious Relena and smiled at her, secretly wishing that he would also get the chance to make love to her. He wanted to have all of her.

Sensing his gaze, she looked up to his handsome face and was entranced by his beautiful Prussian blue eyes. How she wished that he would just kiss her right then and there but she knew he wouldn't do such a thing with her mother in the room. But he seemed to know what was on her mind because he led her into the corridor, around the corner and into a small nook where he pressed her against the wall and claimed her lips in a fiery kiss.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

While everyone else headed to bed, Trowa secretly pulled Sylvia aside or so he thought. Another shadow lingered in the darkness watching them exchange saliva.

"Let's get out of here," Trowa whispered as he pulled Sylvia behind him down the hallway.

A few minutes later, a red motorcycle raced down the driveway and Duo smirked knowingly. He couldn't wait to hear all about Trowa's outing so he strategically placed himself in a coat closet by the back door where he knew Trowa would sneak in. Checking his watch, he knew it would be at least an hour before Trowa returned so he decided to give Hilde a call.

"Duo?" A very tired Hilde answered the video call.

"Heya babe! How are you?" Duo said in his all too cheerful voice.

Hilde forced a smile and replied, "I'm really tired." Then she let out a big yawn.

"Ahhh shucks… I'm sorry babe. I forgot about the time difference," Duo said apologetically.

Hilde sat up in bed and ruffled her short hair. "It's okay. I'm up now."

Duo's eyes widened at the sight of her askew top and a particular body part rose in response. "I'm up too." He winked.

Confused by his response, Hilde asked, "What?"

"Babe, you look so hot right now!"

She blinked a few times then ran her hands down the front of her body only to realize that her tank top was lopsided, revealing her breasts. Hilde quickly adjusted herself.

"Awww mannnn! Don't hide 'em from me!" Duo whined. "Show me your tits!"

"Duo! It's late and I should be sleeping."

"But I miss you…" Duo made puppy eyes that quickly turned to mischievous eyes as he unbuttoned his pants and pulled out his dick. "He misses you too."

Hilde's eyes visibly widened as she subconsciously licked her lips. "Ohhhh yeah? I missed you!" She slowly and tantalizingly removed her tank top. While biting her lower lip, she fondled and massages her breasts, jigging them as Duo would have done if he were there.

"Keep going baby! Show me what you've got!" Duo encouraged her as he spit in his hand and rubbed his hard cock.

Hilde dipped her hand into her shorts and rubbed her bundle of nerves, moaning in pleasure.

"Quite teasing, Hil. Show me that ass!"

Hilde got out of bed and adjusted the screen so Duo could see her hook her thumbs along the band of her shorts as she slowly stripped for him. Bending over she pulled her cheeks apart to reveal her hidden treasure.

"That's it baby! Show me everything!" Duo encouraged her as he continued to pleasure himself. "Lay on the bed and spread your legs nice and wide for me."

Hilde did as she was told and turned back to look at the camera as she wet a finger in her mouth before running it along her wet folds and finally inserting the digit inside of her.

"Oh yeah! Fuck yourself."

She pumped her fingers in and out of her now dripping pussy. "I wish you were in me," she purred.

"I know baby. Me too! I'd fuck you so hard right now."

Moaning, she quickened her pace at his words and imagined him fucking her.

Duo was mesmerized by his girlfriend. "Rub your clit. I want to see you cum."

Hilde again did his bidding and rubbed her clit. After a few moments, she reached her climax and screamed his name at the top of her lungs, so loud that Duo had to turn down the volume on his vidphone.

Sensing that he was getting close, Duo looked around in the dark closet for something to cum in but couldn't find anything suitable. Grunting he exploded into the palm of his other hand. "God, you're so gorgeous you know that?"

Hilde smiled, "Thanks, you owe me one!"

"I know and I'll be sure to make it up to you when I come home. I miss you, babe."

"I miss you, too," she pouted. "When will you be back?"

"Hard to say… the Princess should be making her announcement tomorrow morning. Hopefully, I'll be able to leave in a few days. I'll let you know."

Hilde let out a sigh, "Alright. Hurry home, Duo! I love you."

"I love you, my little sex kitten."

Hilde meowed and pretended to scratch him. "Love you too."

"Sleep well, babe."

"Night!" She blew him a kiss and he caught it with his hand, then she ended the call.

_Damn. That was hot._ He sat there for a few moments recovering from his orgasm then he stealthily navigated the dark halls in search of a bathroom to wash his hands. Once he cleaned himself up, he turned to his post in the closet by the back door waiting for Trowa and his midnight delight to come back.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

About an hour and a half later, the back door unlatched and two teenagers quietly snuck inside. Trowa pushed a giggling Sylvia up against the wall and kissed her as he fondled her breasts. His hands worked their way south as he gathered her skirts with one hand and unzipped his pants with the other. Effortlessly lifting her up, he entered her once more in one swift motion causing her to cry out in ecstasy. He covered her mouth with his hand as he kissed her neck and seductively shushed her. She whimpered in response. Slowly removing his hand, he passionately kissed her, muffling Sylvia's moans as he vigorously pounded into her. After a few minutes, the rhythmic thumping stopped and the ruffling of clothing could be heard.

"I should go up first. You stay down here for a little but then come up," Sylvia whispered.

"Alright. I'll be up soon."

Duo quietly poked his head out of the closet door to see a rather disheveled Sylvia who was walking oddly, down the hallway. He lightly chuckled at the sight and let out a low whistle before he was slammed against the wall.

"What the hell, Duo?!"

"I should ask you the same! Sounds like you two had a good time and really hit it off."

Trowa released Duo. "You better not tell anyone."

"Cross my heart, dude. Your secret is safe with me."

Trowa glared at his comrade trying to discern if Duo would keep his big mouth shut or not.

Duo laughed then remarked, "Dude you totally wrecked her though. She can't even walk straight."

Trowa smirked, "My personal rule when it comes to a girl is that if you destroy the girl during, you gotta put her back together afterwards. And that's what I plan to do now." He winked at Duo, then headed upstairs.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

**The next morning...**

"So… will I see you again?" Sylvia asked anxiously twisting her foot around.

"Yeah, I'll see you around," Trowa replied.

"Great, it was… this was fun," Sylvia said blushing.

Like a gentleman, Trowa opened the door for her and helped her inside, smiling at her as though she was the love of his life. He closed the door and stepped back to wave goodbye.

Duo came up behind Trowa and said, "You're never going to see her again are you?"

"Nope." Trowa smiled as he waved goodbye to Sylvia as her car pulled away.

"Brutal, man, just brutal!" Duo laughed and smacked Trowa's shoulder.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

After everyone said their goodbyes, Relena returned to her father's office to make some last minute adjustments to her speech. A few moments later, Heero came in and handed her a draft that she had given him earlier. Her eyes grew wide in surprise as she saw all of the red ink. They were not all criticisms. He agreed with a lot she had written but said it surprisingly lacked vision which shocked her.

"I didn't think you would go into this much detail," she mumbled as she thumbed through the pages.

"Relena, what you have written is great," he tried to reassure her. "But the people need to understand why you want to make Mars the next foreign territory. They don't need to know the logistics. Share your vision for what you hope Mars will become, not what it is now."

She nodded in agreement still flipping through the pages. "How much time do I have?"

"As much time as you need."

Her head didn't move, just her eyes as she looked up at him. "What time is it, Heero?"

"It's 10:08. You have approximately seven hours until the scheduled press announcement. I can always push it back."

"No, that won't be necessary. I'll be ready." She sat down and pulled a cap off of her pen with her teeth and began writing. Heero silently slipped out of her office to let her finish her work. He had some planning to do as well. Finding refuge in the library, he opened his laptop and pulled up the schematics to Relena's house. He was going to need to make some adjustments since he would be living with her from now on. At least, that's what his plan was and he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

01110100 01101001 01101101 01100101

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks for reading! Please review. I enjoy reading them and they help me to stay motivated. The next few chapters were hard to write but they are soooo good! WARNING: CITRUS CONTENT is coming! :P**

"The Whereabouts of Happiness" is actually the title of episode 10. I love using all sorts of references and quotes from Gundam Wing and I couldn't resist using yet another episode title for one of my chapters. It's just too perfect!

As always, thank you to my dear Gundam Wing groupies and betas, Revy679 and Ninjette Twitch. Broken wouldn't be what it is without you two! :-) And thanks a million to JenJenGundamFan for reading my chapters ahead of time to find those tiny little errors. You all make my fics presentable! And a special thank you to whatsyourpathology for allowing me to use some of your own words in here. hehe ;-)


	11. Resurrection

**Chapter 11: Resurrection**

Letting out a long sigh, Relena set down her pen and stretched. Turning in her chair, she cracked her back one way then the other. Glancing at the clock, it was only 11:30 in the morning and she had already completely rewritten her speech. Yes, she had plenty of time. She picked up the office phone and dialed his direct number. It rang once before he picked up.

"Yes?"

"Heero, I just finished reworking my speech. Thanks again for your suggestions. They were very helpful."

"Hn." Although his reply was practically nonexistent and she couldn't see him, she imagined he was smiling. Somehow that short response always made her heart flutter.

Remembering the task at hand, she continued, "I'd like to speak with Lady Une this morning. I also need to speak with my brother in regards to the Mars Terraformation Project and my proposal. Can you set up a secure comlink for me please?"

"Yeah. I'll be right there."

When Relena called, he had already started moving towards the office with his computer in hand. He was happy to help her with her speech or with anything that she needed. He would do _anything_ for her. She gave him a purpose in life. Without her, he honestly wouldn't know what to do with himself in this new world of peace. Like usual, Heero didn't bother knocking. He just opened the door and set up his laptop on the coffee table.

Relena watched in fascination as his fingers flew across the keyboard. No matter how many times she watched him work, she was amazed at his speed and accuracy. It didn't take long for him to establish a secure connection to the Preventers Commander.

"Special Agent Yuy, I've been expecting your call. You've neglected to turn in your reports. Again." Une said, her voice thick with disapproval.

"I've been a little busy," he replied, almost annoyed in his deep baritone voice.

"Yuy, I expect those reports no later than 1400 today. If I do not have them by then, you'll face disciplinary action," Une stated in an angry, firm and authoritative tone. She didn't like backtalk from subordinates.

Relena covered her mouth with her small fist, trying her best not to giggle at Une's threat. Heero's eyes darted over to her, a flicker of amusement crossed his face before his typical stoic facial expression returned. "You'll have your reports soon. I called because Relena needs to speak with you." He looked over to her again, his eyes conveying that he was done with this conversation and ready for her to take over.

Smiling at him, she took his tacit cue and padded over to him, taking a seat next to him on the couch. Tucking some hair behind an ear, she began to make her plea. "Lady Une, I believe it's time for me to return to Brussels. I have a job to do and there's much to be done."

"Yes, the ESUN needs you. We need you. I suggest you take every precaution and recommendation that Special Agent Yuy suggests for your security. We certainly don't want to have a repeat of this past week's events."

Relena nodded as she glanced over at Heero who was leaning forward, elbows on his knees with his hands folded. "Yes, I'll be sure to listen to his extensive safety measures."

"In that case, we're going off grid." He gave her a slight smile. Relena couldn't help but laugh. _Did Heero Yuy just make a joke?_ "You know what I mean…" She touched his taut bicep.

Une cleared her throat to get Relena's attention. "The world essentially came to a standstill over the past week. I'm sure you saw that the President announced a formal mourning period of one week for you."

"Yes, I had expected people to be upset, but I couldn't have predicted this large of a response." She thought about the pictures she had seen of all of the flowers and gifts people had left around the Peacecraft Palace, the ESUN Headquarters, and even outside the gates of her mother's home.

"Vice Foreign Minister, you may not be president but make no mistake that you are the leader of this peaceful world. Many still see you as Queen Relena. What you represent means a great deal to everyone. Now, I see that there is a special program scheduled for 5pm in the J.A.P. area. I'm assuming you'll be speaking from your home?"

"That's correct. I'd like my assistant, Karen, to handle public relations. I haven't been in touch with her though. Could you call her into the office and explain the situation?"

"Yes, I'll contact her. When are you planning to return?"

Relena looked over to Heero, her eyes silently asking when they should leave. He turned back to the screen and said, "We'll be back in Brussels tomorrow evening."

"Very well. There will be a transport ready for you when you land," Commander Une said.

Heero nodded, ending the transmission with a tap of the finger and looked over at Relena. "It will take awhile to get a secure connection with Zechs. I'll let you know when it's ready. In the meantime, you should get some rest while you can." She simply nodded in reply and picked up her speech for one final review. He offered her a small smile before he gathered up his things and left for the library.

01001101 01100001 01110010 01110011

She took one of her favorite sweet treats from the parchment paper where they were cooling and closed her eyes as she savored a bite. "Princess! Don't eat all of the cookies!" Her eyes opened just in time to see Duo's braid whip around the corner and an empty plate save for a few crumbs. Relena giggled and shook her head at her friend's antics. Thankfully, there were still some left on the parchment paper. Mrs. Tilney came around the corner, beaming with a radiant smile. Pagan followed behind her with a tea tray and eyed the scrumptious dessert.

"Miss Relena!" Mrs. Tilney exclaimed. "You shouldn't eat so many cookies! You'll be sick!"

"I've only had one. Duo confiscated the rest," Relena refuted.

Mrs. Tilney shook her head with her hands on her hips. "That boy is a bottomless pit!"

Relena's phone vibrated on the kitchen counter. She glanced at the clock and silently wondered why it was taking so long for Heero to get ahold of Milliardo. However, communication with Mars had been spotty lately. She finished up her cookie while she keyed in her passcode. A message popped up on the screen.

_I have Zechs on the phone for you._

She smiled as she read the short text. It had been too long since she had spoken with her brother. No doubt he had heard the news and had been worried about her. Hopping down from the barstool, she made her way to Heero's favorite place in her childhood home, the library. When she reached the door, she was taken aback to hear Heero's laugh coming from inside. Baffled, she froze with her hand on the door handle and pressed her ear to the door to listen. She could hear Heero's voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to concentrate.

"Relena?" A smooth voice came from behind her.

She practically jumped out of her skin and gasped loudly as she turned to face the tall and devilishly handsome Gundam Pilot carrying a folder. Her cheeks flamed red from being caught eavesdropping but like a true gentleman, Trowa didn't say anything. A smirk graced his lips as he opened the door to the library and allowed her to enter first. Relena hovered by the door while Trowa walked ahead, laid a folder in front of Heero and turned around to leave. As he walked by, a rush of air danced across her skin. She took a deep breath and recomposed herself, not wanting Heero to know that she had been listening in or at least trying to.

"Relena," Heero said in an expectant tone. She smiled as she rounded the corner over to where he sat. "Is my brother still on the line?" she asked.

"I'm here." She heard from Heero's laptop. Hearing his voice, she ran over to the screen. Her smile grew when she finally saw her brother's face. "Milliardo! It's so good to see you! I have missed you." Heero stood up and offered Relena the chair so she could sit down.

"I'm glad to see you are well. You had me worried for a little bit. I thought I was going to have to come back to Earth to finish my duel with Heero," Zechs said.

"Hn."

Relena glanced back at Heero thumbing through the file Trowa had given him and chuckled into her fist. The relationship between her brother and him had always been one of confrontations and scepticism. "You'll let me know if he doesn't treat you right," Zechs said in an overly protective voice. She turned back to Milliardo and shot him a "don't start" look. "I just want to know you're being well cared for," he said in his defense. "Milliardo, Heero is the best person to protect me. You should know that by now." Milliardo simply nodded, then changed the subject. "How is Pagan doing?"

"Pagan is well. Mother keeps him quite busy but he seems to be happy. At least he will be soon."

Milliardo's eyes rose as he asked, "What does that mean?"

"Heero didn't tell you? Pagan is going to propose to Mrs. Tilney!" Relena bounced in her chair.

Milliardo smiled at his younger sister and looked over to Heero. "That is exciting. Please offer him my congratulations when he proposes. There's been quite a bit of marriage talk recently." Heero shifted behind Relena, waiting for Zechs to elaborate. "I have some news of my own to share," Milliardo said as he glanced over. Relena leaned in close as if he was about to whisper a secret to her when Noin appeared on screen.

"Surprise! We got married!" She flashed her left hand in front of the camera so Relena could see the sapphire wedding band. Relena squealed in delight and clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Oh! That is wonderful news! I'm so happy for you two! When did you get married?! Where?! How did he propose?! Tell me everything!" Noin quickly filled Relena in with the need to know details as she sat on Zechs lap, glancing at him every once in awhile as she spoke. A beeping sound interrupted Noin and her smile fell. "I'm sorry, we have to go now. Call us again soon. Love and miss you!" And with that the screen went black and the room filled with silence. Still Relena sat smiling at she recalled all of the romantic details of their elopement.

Heero leaned over her shoulder to close the laptop, then captured Relena's lips in a quick kiss. "Thank you for calling my brother. You're the best." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Hn. It was nothing."

"Heero? Can I ask you something?" Relena swiveled around in the chair to face him. "Hmm?" His expression was unreadable. "I heard you laughing before I came in. What was so funny?" Smirking, he replied, "Something your brother said," then pressed another kiss to her forehead. "Come on," he pulled her into a standing position. "A little bird told me that Pagan is going to propose soon." Relena's eyes widened in surprise as she squealed, "yay!"

Heero pulled her down the corridor, up the servant staircase, and down another hallway to a secret panel in the wall. "Heero, where are we going?!" He didn't answer, he just put a finger to his lips to silence her as he pushed the secret panel open and tugged her into the darkness with him. The unknown passage was narrow and would be impossible to navigate if it weren't for him. It took every ounce of courage to not scream when a cobweb clung to her arm as he wove them deeper inside. Despite being right on his tail, so close that she could feel the hidden handgun tucked away in the back of his pants, she could not hear his footsteps. The man was stealthy and lethal. And how she loved him. He squeezed her hand before he stopped, then brought her around to his side. When the passage had gotten wider, she didn't know but she was thankful for the extra space and the light coming from two small circular holes in the wall. Heero dusted away the spider webs and leaned in, then looked over at Relena. The light illuminated his smirking face as he took her hand in his and positioned her in front of the peep holes. "Don't make a sound. Just look through the holes," Heero whispered into her ear. She nodded and did what he told her, once her eyes readjusted to the light she was able to see Pagan and Mrs. Tilney down below. They were looking down into the ballroom. _Wow, I didn't even know this was here_, she thought. _I must be one of the angels in the mural on the ceiling. _ Just then, Pagan slowly lowered himself down onto one knee and got out a small box. Relena bit her lip to remind herself not to make any noises. She couldn't make out what he said but she could tell Mrs. Tilney was thrilled from the look on her face and the ring that was being placed on her finger. Pagan then led her around the ballroom while humming a tune. Relena couldn't help but put a hand to her heart and awe at the sight.

Pagan had been so much more to her than just a butler. He was family; he was the closest thing to a grandfather she had ever had. To see him happy, truly happy, made her heart overflow with joy. Leaning back against Heero's chest, she closed her eyes and wished that she would one day be proposed to but that was probably far off. They hadn't been seeing each other in an official capacity for more than a week, but she could dream. The kisses that he trailed down her neck gave her hope. His breath felt hot on her cool skin. "Let's finish what we started last night," he said in that oh-so irresistible sexy low growl. He could have anything he wanted when he spoke to her like that. She spun around to face him and hungrily kissed him as she pressed her body against his, backing him up against the wall.

He didn't mind her taking charge; in fact, he rather enjoyed it. His cock was already on the verge of bursting when he felt her hand cup him. Thankfully, she didn't waste any time before pulling down his zipper and releasing him from his confinement. He let out an audible "ah" when she took him into her mouth and began to suck on him. She played with his testicles as she worked him. "Relena, I'm going to…" He didn't get to finish his sentence as he exploded into her mouth. She swallowed every drop of his seed and sucked him until his flaccid dick was completely empty before she released him. Breathing heavily from his orgasm, he leaned down and kissed her, helping her to stand up at the same time. While they kissed, she tucked him back in his boxer briefs, pulled up his pants and zipped up his pants.

"That was fun," she said in a seductive voice. He pressed his lips against hers briefly before saying, "yeah, it was." She giggled against his mouth, placing a few feathery kisses all over his handsome face.

"You didn't have to, you know," Heero whispered into her ear.

"Oh, but I wanted to! I love having you inside me," she cooed. Heero's mind immediately raced to suppress thoughts of fucking her. God, did he want her. To be inside of her. To be one with her. Several sex positions, he had seen from some x rated magazines Duo had laying around when he stayed with him, flashed in his mind, taunting him of his deepest and darkest desires. Her angelic voice brought him out of the gutter and back to reality. "I'm sorry I fell asleep on you last night. I was just exhausted from yesterday, so really, I owed you one," Relena said in an apologetic tone.

"You don't owe me anything," Heero said.

"I know. I just…"

Heero silenced her ramblings by capturing her now swollen lips and pressing her firmly up against the wall. Period or no period, he was going to have her now. He was just about to pick her up when his phone vibrated in his pocket. _Damn it!_ His tongue continued exploring her mouth as he ignored the annoying sensation.

"Should you get that?" Relena asked quickly before they locked lips again.

"No."

Finally, it stopped. Heero cupped her covered breasts and massaged them, eliciting a euphoric moan from Relena. His arousal grew as he listened to his vixen. Then his phone began to vibrate once more. _Piece of shit!_ He wanted to throw it against the wall and shoot it until nothing remained but he wouldn't do that around her. Instincts told him to answer, but his heart told him to ignore it once more. However, his training took over and he painfully pulled away from her to see who was calling.

"Who is it?" She asked, breathlessly.

_Duo… _

He was going to kill him. The rage within him was all consuming as he held the phone in a death grip. Despite all rational thought, he answered.

"I'm going to kill you," he seethed.

"Uhhh… hello to you too," Duo said.

"Well! What the hell is it?!" Heero barked at him. Relena reached out to him and touched his shoulder. His burning eyes found hers and immediately softened at the sight of her. She smiled and claimed his mouth.

"Calm down! You told me to call you when I had the flight itinerary and security details for tomorrow. Sheesh."

He barely registered what his comrade said as he lost himself in her.

"Sooooo… you want me to go over it now?"

"Yeah," Heero replied quickly, trailing kisses down Relena's neck. He listened only because it regarded her safety, otherwise he would have hung up. Relena tried not to giggle as Heero nipped at her earlobe.

"I need you to approve this and send it to Une before I can get the aircraft secured," Duo said.

_Damn it. _Heero mentally checked the time. He needed to have his reports in soon. His secret rendezvous with Relena had come to an end. When he stepped back, she let out a sad sigh.

"Roger that. I'll be there in 5."

"Duty calls?" She asked with a small smile.

"Yeah."

He led the way out of the secret passage, only to find Trowa leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed and eyes closed with a hint of knowing smirk on his lips.

Without missing a beat, Heero said, "Trowa, set up a secure comlink for Relena to speak with her assistant, Karen."

"Sure thing."

01001101 01100001 01110010 01110011

A few minutes later, Relena sat in her father's leather chair with a notepad and a pen while Trowa connected to her assistant. It didn't take long for him to set up a secure line through a back channel, thanks to his expert hacking abilities.

"Miss Relena!" Karen screamed, her shoulder length light brown hair bounced as she excitedly greeted her boss.

Relena smiled, discreetly turning down the volume on the vidphone. "Hello, Karen. How are you?" She asked.

"Never better! I am so glad you are alright! You look great, as always."

"Thank you. I admit it was good to get away, even considering the unorthodox circumstances which brought me here," she replied.

"Yes, you definitely needed a vacation, well... if that's what you're referring to this particular disappearance as… Regardless, I'm glad you're coming back. I'm guessing you called because you have an idea of what you'd like to do next."

Relena typed on the computer and with a few clicks of the mouse, she sent Karen an email with her itinerary. "Yes, I just sent you my schedule. I am making a public announcement at 5pm. Japan time, of course. I'm sure you'll be inundated with calls for more information afterwards. So I need you to contact my publicist and arrange magazine interviews, talk show appearances, and perhaps an insider look at my state of the art wardrobe. Whatever she thinks will be fine." Karen vigorously scribbled down notes as Relena spoke. "I also need a meeting this afternoon with the President to discuss my return and the Mars Terraformation Project. I'm sure there is more that needs to be done but just focus on these tasks for now."

"Of course! I'll get right on it! Actually, I see the President has an opening now. Would you like to speak with him?"

"Oh, that's perfect! Yes, connect me to him." Relena twirled a pen in her hand while she waited.

An older man in his mid-sixties appeared on the vidscreen with a broad smile. "Vice Foreign Minister Darlian, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you. How are you, my dear?"

"Very well, sir. I hope I didn't give you too much of a scare."

"I was concerned for your well being but Commander Une kept me personally informed on your condition and whereabouts. I have to admit I was scared that you had been assassinated. Peace is very delicate and can easily be broken. You and I must continue to ensure the peace we worked so hard to attain is maintained. Henceforth, I am recommending a significant budget increase for the Preventers. We cannot continue to have small fires break out and God forbid the spread of any too."

Relena nodded in agreement. "Yes, I believe that is best. Speaking of the budget, I would like to propose another increase in the Mars Terraformation Project." The President opened his mouth to disagree but she continued on, "We were able to raise a significant amount from private companies to fund the project, but I'm afraid it's not enough as my vision is much more ambitious than that. I want Mars to become the next foreign territory."

The President's mouth fell open and his eyes were as wide a saucers. "Wh..what?" he stammered.

"Mars will be the next foreign territory. According to my brother, Milliardo, terraformation is going extremely well and is ahead of schedule. Ecosystems have been established. The air is becoming oxygenated which means sooner than later, we will be able to live on Mars. It's a whole world with endless possibilities but we must ensure peace. We need to establish public works like water and sewage treatment plants, a variety of markets like agricultural and technological, as well as medical facilities. We should consider making a special unit within Preventers to establish and maintain law and order before sending anyone over to colonize Mars." Relena paused considering her next words carefully. "With all due respect sir, we should have already begun this world building process. Mars is the future for mankind."

The seasoned politician leaned back in his chair and folded his hands while he thought about what she said. "You're absolutely right, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian. You have my full support. Proceed with your plans and keep me updated on your progress."

_Whew! What a relief._ Relena sighed and slumped back into the chair. It had been quite a gamble to get his support this late in the planning stages but somehow she knew that he would get behind the idea. She was especially thankful that he gave his support, otherwise she would have to rewrite most of her speech. Speaking of which, she wanted to read it aloud through a few more times before she went on air.

01001101 01100001 01110010 01110011

A light knock on the door startled Relena. Abbi, the lady's maid, opened the door and curtsied before speaking. "Miss Relena, I am here to prepare you for your telecast. Have you decided if you would like to wear your pale blue pant suit or the grey sheath dress?"

Relena set down her speech that she had been trying to commit to memory, looked up at Abbi and smiled as she stood. "I think I had better wear my pant suit. I don't want to shock the people by deviating from my typical attire."

"Very well, Miss." Abbi darted into the closet to retrieve the outfit as well as all of her accessories. She needed to look her best for this speech. Of all the public announcements, this one was the most nerve-wrecking.

After she did her makeup and got dressed, Abbi helped her style hair in its usual way with her Peacecraft bangs hovering above her eyes and her long blonde hair tied in a dark blue ribbon. The color was an almost perfect match to his eyes.

_Heero…_

As if summoned by her very thoughts, he suddenly materialized behind her. "Ready?" He asked in his baritone voice.

She stood and allowed Heero to help her put on her suit jacket. With a deep breath, Relena said, "Yes, I'm ready." She momentarily assessed herself in the mirror, tugging her jacket down so it lay correctly. She was ready. The camera was ready. The world was ready.

01001101 01100001 01110010 01110011

Relena sat at her father's desk, folding and unfolding her hands as Trowa and Duo finished setting up the camera and feed to broadcast to all of the major networks. She glanced over at Heero who was leaning against the wall staring intently at her. When their eyes made contact, he winked at her and smiled. She ducked her head, cheeks warming with pleasure and encouragement. Heero looked over at the fellow Gundam pilots and assessed how much time they had left before she would go on air. _48 seconds. Plenty of time._ He pushed off the wall and walked over to her, standing directly in front of her. Putting his hands on the desk, he leaned down and said in a low voice, "Don't be nervous, you've got this." She smiled up at him and nodded. He gave her a quick peck on her cheek and whispered, "believe in yourself." Closing her eyes, she savored his sweet words. Yes, she believed in peace, she believed in her dream, she believed in him. Now, she just needed to believe in herself. _Come on, Relena, you can do this._ Heero resumed his position against the wall and nodded at her. She smiled at him and took a deep breath. In the background, she heard Duo say 10 seconds. _I can do this. _His hand began to count down, 5, 4, 3, 2… he pointed at her and the red light came on. It was time.

"My dear fellow citizens of the Earth's Sphere Unified Nation, I appear before you, both alive and well from my childhood home in Japan. One week ago, an attempt was made on my life at a fundraising event hosted in my home. A terrorist organization, The Knights of Britannia, failed in their attempt to take my life, thanks to the successful intervention and tireless efforts of the Preventers. I come before you to acknowledge that there is still much work to be done in the name of peace. Peace cannot be achieved, nor maintained if people continue to raise arms against one another. I ask you all... no, I implore you all to fight for peace without weapons. Too long have our lives been disrupted, altered, or even destroyed because of needless war. We must continue our efforts to work through conflict with diplomatic solutions. It is my sincerest hope and my dearest wish that one day we may all live in harmony.

The war is now over but there is still a fight that has yet to be fought. The Earth and Colonies have been war torn for decades. Less than a year ago, we witnessed the destruction of Brussels, the capital of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. The city is being reconstructed faster than anticipated but there are countless other territories which have also suffered significant damage from battles and need to be rebuilt from the ground up. In space, there is debris floating around from the largest battle known to mankind, which is impeding travels to and from Earth, as well as neighboring colonies. Salvaging efforts are underway but it will take another 20 years approximately to completely clean up space. We all fought for peace and we achieved peace, but now we have a new mission. Citizens of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, I ask you to fight for your nation, your home. More importantly, fight for your future, the future of your children and their children. It is time to rebuild our homes, repair broken relationships, and restore our communities. Join me in fighting for this peaceful world.

Some of you watching may feel as if you do not have a place to call home. Many of you may feel like you need a new beginning. Fellow citizens, I have good news. I recently secured monetary support from the private sector for the Mars Terraformation Project. This was a great first step towards building civilization on Mars but there is much still to be done. It is my pleasure to announce to you all that Mars will become the next Foreign Territory. As we continue our terraformation efforts, Mars will need even more resources. While financial support is crucial, we will need an even more valuable resource… we need you. We need volunteers, people who will pioneer the new world on Mars. There will be a place for anyone who wishes to start anew.

I wish to speak to former soldiers for just a moment. Regardless of what side you once served, you helped to usher in this new world of peace. Why not reap the benefits of all you worked so hard to attain? If you have not found a place for you here on Earth or in the colonies, rest assured there is a place for you on Mars. You now have the ability to start anew, become whoever you want to be. It's a fresh beginning and I urge you to join us in this lofty endeavor. Help us fight for a bright new future on Mars.

No one has ever lived on the red planet, so we will be building from the ground up. We will need scientists, engineers, architects, teachers, laborers, investors, entrepreneurs, farmers, doctors, and many more people. Like the colonies, every aspect of life and commerce must be present in order for Mars to be functional and a productive body of the Earth Sphere United Nation. My fellow citizens, join us as we build this new world, Earth, Colonies, and Mars, together. Thank you for listening with open hearts and minds. I wish you all a pleasant evening."

The red light turned off, signaling Relena that she was no longer live. She stood up and walked over to Heero who hadn't moved from his spot against the wall with his arms crossed. From his expression or rather lack thereof she began feeling anxious about her performance. _Did I do a good job?,_ she wondered.

As if he heard her thoughts, he pulled her into an embrace and kissed her temple. "You did great," he whispered, his hot breath tickling her ear as he spoke.

"Do you really think so, Heero?" She asked, her voice lacking its usual confidence.

He didn't hesitate. "Yes," he said firmly, squeezing her tightly for a moment.

01001101 01100001 01110010 01110011

After dinner, the three former pilots met secretly in the attic to discuss Relena's security.

"Does Relena know about this?" Trowa asked.

"No," Heero replied.

"I dunno about this, man. I don't think she'll like it," Duo piped in.

"I don't care if she likes it or not. I'm the head of her security and responsible for keeping her safe. We have to protect her and the world she is trying to construct," Heero said.

Duo scratched his head while contemplating his best friend's words. Trowa leaned against the wall and crossed his arms before speaking. "What about Zechs? Did you clear it with him?"

"Yes, we spoke earlier today and agreed that this is the best form of action," Heero replied in a confident manner.

"I dunno… I got a bad feeling about this," Duo shook his head, then threw up his hands. "I mean, what if she finds out?! She will be so pissed, Heero! I wouldn't do it, man. Not for a million bucks."

"Good thing it's not your decision then," Heero shot back.

Duo threw up his hands in defeat. "Alright, alright! I give, dude! Do whatever you gotta do, but leave me out of it." His braid swayed back and forth as he opened the door to storm out. Just before he did, Heero added in a voice just above a whisper, "you know, I would do anything for her."

The Deathscythe pilot glanced back at him over his shoulder and smiled, "Yeah, I know you would. We all would." Then he disappeared into the dark hallway.

Heero turned to Trowa and asked, "What do you think?"

"A wise man once told me to follow my emotions. I suggest you do the same," Trowa said as he pushed off the wall with his shoulder and headed out the door.

Heero's small smirk disappeared when he ran his hand through his chocolate brown hair. Sighing, he walked over to the small round window. It was snowing again. Relena's words fell over him. _A new beginning, huh? _A smirk reappeared on his lips as he turned around and headed out the door filled with a new sense of purpose in life.

01001101 01100001 01110010 01110011

Heero found Relena leaning against a frosted window, her warm breath freezing on contact with the clear pane. She looked peaceful, content just standing there looking out at the early snowfall. He didn't want to disturb her, not yet. He took his time observing her, how her fingers gingerly held onto the masterfully crafted wood molding around the window, the way her chest fell and rose with each breath, how she incredibly beautiful she looked. She was perfect. If he had a camera, he would have captured this moment. Instead, he took a picture with his heart, forever imprinting the way she looked and how she was in that very moment. It was something he wanted to remember always.

"How long are you going to stare at me?" she asked, still taking in the view outdoors.

Taken aback by the fact that she knew he was there all along, he froze, unable to say or do anything.

He saw a smile tug at the corner of her pink lips before she glanced back over her shoulder to look at him. "I saw you in the reflection of the window. I was watching you..." Her smile broadened and she continued speaking, "watching me." The come-hither look that played across her face was irresistible and worked so well as his feet began to move towards her on their own accord. All he could think was how badly he wanted to kiss her. So he did.

His Prussian blue eyes were filled with his undeclared love as she leaned into his arms, allowing him to close his mouth over hers in a sweet, lingering kiss. She never wanted this moment to end, but she knew that they would have to leave soon. Back to Brussels. Back to reality. She didn't want to go, but she would bare it if he was at her side.

"I don't want to go…" she whispered as her cheek caressed his.

"I know," he nuzzled her back and kissed her flushed face.

She pressed into him to gaze into those deep blue eyes that shone like space. "Stay with me, Heero," she said in a voice that sounded more like a hopeful question than a command.

"I'll always be here." It was irrational to say so, knowing full well he could die at any moment protecting her, but he promised her anyway and sealed it was a kiss.

Wanting to savor the time that they had spent together over the past week, they held one another in a quiet, loving embrace for several minutes. Finally Heero spoke, "We should go for another ride. Who knows when we will be back."

"That's a great idea! I'll ring the stable so they can ready the horses," Relena twirled around him, making her way to the phone.

A stable boy quickly answered and informed her that Cinnamon would not be able to ride as she was getting new shoes put on but Midnight and another horse could be prepared. "That will be just fine, thank you." She pressed a button to disconnect the call before spinning around to face Heero, who was waiting for her to do so, just to kiss her.

Nearly out of breath, Relena said, "We should go up and change now before it's dark."

"Hn."

Heero made a conscious decision not to touch her because he knew if he did, they would never make it to the stables in time. So they quickly changed and headed outside, all bundled up in their riding habits. Midnight nickered at the sight of Heero which thoroughly shocked the stablehand and Relena. Heero offered the pitch black stallion some peppermints from his pocket while he pet the length of his neck. Relena walked over to the pinto mare and offered her some carrots. The horse neighed before accepting the gift.

"Ride with me," Heero said confidently, his eyes daring her to say yes.

"What?"

"Ride with me."

He mounted the horse and lowered his arm down to her. She hesitated ever so slightly. Even Midnight seemed to sense it when he sidestepped towards her.

His eyes locked with hers. "Trust me."

She smiled and took a hold of his arm, allowing him to lift her effortlessly. It only took a few seconds before she adjusted herself in the saddle and snaked her arms around his center.

"Don't let go of me," she said in a tantalizing tone.

_I never will. _

His hand squeezed her arm wrapped snugly around his torso, then he kicked his heels into Midnight's sides and off they went on a fun, new adventure of their own.

01001101 01100001 01110010 01110011

**Author's Note**:

Guess who's back, back again? Relena's back, tell a friend! (Props to those of you who sang that. Haha! Love me some Eminem. "Without Me" is a classic! Ha!) So Relena is back and she is ambitious! There is no stopping this girl! Heero definitely has something up his sleeve but what is it?! :P

Next time in Broken, Heero and Relena return to their everyday lives and reality. How will they reaccolomate? ;-) I'll give you a hint… Lots of smexiness will be forthcoming. ;)

Thank you to the "guest" reviewer who binge read Broken! I wish I knew who you were so I could message you to thank you personally. I greatly appreciate all of you who take a few minutes to review my work because I spend a lot of time and put a ton of effort into my stories. Show me some love by leaving a review, following, favoriting, messaging me, all those good things… :P

Last but certainly not least, thank you, thank you, thank you to my amazing betas - Ninjette Twitch and Revy679. You two rock my socks!


	12. On The Edge

Chapter 12: On the Edge

Dawn had not yet broken. The crisp cold air smelled of fresh laden snow. It was so peaceful, so quiet. Flurries sparkled like glitter as they drifted daintily down from the sky, reflecting the light from the house. Heero stood on the top step, taking in the scenery and serenity of the early morning. He had never experienced such peace before. He had never allowed himself to think about such trivial matters nor made time to enjoy the tranquility falling snow offered. Not until her.

_Relena_...

A groggy "mornin'" was uttered behind him. "Morning," Heero replied without turning around. He walked down the steps with a half asleep Duo behind him. Heero handed Trowa a large case, which he promptly put into the trunk, shutting the hatch with a loud bang. Duo let out a big yawn as he stretched his arms up to the darkened sky. "Mannn, it's too early," he said in a lethargic voice.

Ignoring his torpid friend, Heero looked at Trowa and said, "Make sure you double check the propulsion system."

"Sure thing," Trowa replied.

"Don't worry, pal. We'll make sure the jet is ready to go for you and the Princess," Duo said while trying not to yawn again.

The side door opened, revealing Mrs. Tilney carrying two cake catering boxes. As she stepped forward, a footman came into view carrying a pair of travel coffee mugs with brown paper lunch bags. She smiled at Trowa and Duo, "I made you some cookies for the trip home." Then she looked to Heero and asked, "Would you be a dear and take these to the car?" Heero nodded, silently accepted them and put them in the back of the car.

"I also prepared you boys some breakfast for the road." The footman came to stand beside her and handed Duo and Trowa their meal. "Good strong coffee, I mean, java…" Mrs. Tilney's face flushed as she smiled at Trowa who returned her smile with one of his own. Clearing her throat, she continued, "There are also bacon, egg, and cheese bagel sandwiches."

"Sweet! Thanks, Mrs.T!" beamed Duo, opening up the bag to retrieve a sandwich.

"Thank you," Trowa said with a smile as he took a sip of coffee. "This java is delicious."

Mrs. Tilney waved them off. "No trouble at all, dearies. I couldn't have Miss Relena's friends leave without eating. You boys be safe going home now." They nodded and said their thanks again before she turned and left to go back inside. "We should get going," Trowa said as Duo climbed into the passenger seat.

"Yeah." Heero nodded. "Thank you for your help."

Duo choked on his sandwich, hitting a fist against his chest. "I don't think I'll ever get used to you saying things like that," he said with a mouthful of food.

"Hn." Heero voiced.

Trowa lightly chuckled while he climbed into the driver's seat. "I'll let you know when we're done at the spaceport."

Heero nodded and went back inside to finish packaging up and to check on Relena. He directed the footman to load up all six of her bags, silently wondering why she needed to bring all of these clothes when she had only worn maybe one suitcase worth. He made his way to the kitchen to procure some coffee and inquire about breakfast. Glancing at the clock, he realized he still needed to wake her up, so he climbed the stairs, taking two at a time, not even spilling a drop of coffee. Quietly opening her bedroom door, he stealthy made it over to the bed to see her soundly asleep, snuggling the small teddy bear he gave her a few years ago. He smiled and set down the steaming hot liquid before he leaned down to kiss her cheek. She stirred a little but didn't open her eyes.

"Time to wake up, Relena," he whispered in a gentle voice.

She groaned, pulling the covers with her as she buried her face into the pillow. Rubbing her back, Heero repeated himself in a slightly louder voice. She rolled back over and blinked her eyes open while rubbing the sleep away.

"Good morning," she said in a hoarse voice and smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Good morning," he whispered back, hovering above her lips just for a moment before recapturing them.

Relena desperately wanted the kiss to continue, but Heero pulled away. "What time is it?" she asked sitting up.

"Almost 7 o'clock. We need to leave by 8:30."

She nodded and sat there for a moment trying to wake up. "Alright, I had better get up then."

Heero stood up so she could get out of bed. Swinging her legs over the edge, she stretched and turned from side to side, cracking her back as she did. Finally, she rose from her bed and went straight to him. He enveloped her and kissed her forehead. "Mrs. Tilney is making omelettes and chocolate croissants for breakfast. We shouldn't keep her waiting."

"You're right. I just need some…" Heero cut her off by placing a cup of steaming hot coffee in her hand. "Thank you," she said inhaling the sweet aroma of her favorite dark roast blend from South America before taking a big sip.

Heero checked his work email while Relena shuffled over to her closet and picked out an outfit surprisingly quick, momentarily depositing her coffee on the vanity while she changed for the day. Checking herself in the mirror, too hungry to fuss over her makeup or rather lack thereof she deemed herself acceptable for breakfast so they headed downstairs.

01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101

After swallowing a bite of her cheddar bacon omelette, Relena asked the newly engaged couple, "Have you settled on a date yet?"

"Not yet but we were thinking sometime in December, perhaps around Christmas," Pagan replied taking ahold of Mrs. Tilney's hand.

"That would be wonderful! I do hope you will have the ceremony and reception here," Mareen chimed in.

"Yes, we would love to be married here. That much is for certain," Mrs. Tilney cheerfully said.

"Be sure to keep us updated with all of your wedding plans," Relena excitedly voiced as she reached for Heero's hand.

"Oh, don't you worry, Miss Relena. We will keep you apprised of the details," Pagan said before taking a drink of coffee.

Relena nodded while Heero smiled back in reply, then finished devouring his chocolate croissant.

Mareen took a deep breath and let out a sigh, "I wish I could spend every meal with my family like this." Tears started to pool in the corners of her eyes as she tried to swallow the overwhelming sadness now threatening to flood her heart during the otherwise joyous meal.

Relena was about to speak but Heero beat her to it. "I appreciate everything you have done for me while staying here. I never knew what family meant until I spent time with all of you."

Tears began to flow freely down Mareen's face as she dabbed at them with her napkin. "Oh, Heero, you are always welcome to stay here anytime. I already consider you a son," she said, her eyes still damp with emotions. "Goodness me. I'm such a fountain today." She had regained her composure, but when she looked over to Relena, who had also been crying, she began weeping once more.

Like her mother, Relena attempted to pat her cheeks dry but was unsuccessful as tears continuously fell from hearing her mom's words. Heero sat in between the weeping women and for once in his life, he was completely unsure of what to do next. Looking to Pagan for assistance, the old man smiled and said, "It was good of you to bring Relena back to us for a week. It has been so long since we last saw her for such an extended period of time. I hope you'll ensure that she gets more time off to come home. And I hope you come with her, of course."

"We'll be back for the wedding," Heero looked at Pagan and Mrs. Tilney, then over to Mareen and continued, "and I'll make sure she comes home on a more regular basis. She needs her family."

"Oh, that would be wonderful Heero. I would love that so much." Mareen's smile was bright despite the fresh tears trailing down her reddened cheeks.

Relena was awestruck by Heero's thoughtfulness. _I love you more than you will ever know._

Heero looked over at Relena and felt his lips tug upward, a sensation that didn't seem so foreign anymore. They were lost in each other's gaze for just a moment before Heero's watch beeped to remind them of the time. Heero looked away first and said, "unfortunately we need to get going but we'll see you all soon." They said their goodbyes. Heero didn't want to rush Relena but they had a schedule to keep. Wrapping a hand around her back to rest on her hip, he gently steered her away from her family and towards the door. Like the gentleman he had proven himself to be over the past week, he opened the car door for her and helped her gracefully take her seat. He jogged around the front of the car and hopped in, revving the engine before speeding away.

A few minutes later, Relena broke the silence between them. "Heero?"

"Hm?" Heero quirked an eyebrow and glanced over at her before looking back at the road.

"Could we stop at the beach for a little bit before we go to the spaceport?"

He smiled and looked back over at her with a gleam in his eyes. "You read my mind." Accelerating, he sped down the familiar cliff side road, thankful not to be driving an ambulance this time.

A few minutes later, Heero pulled off to the side of the road. Hopping out first, he went over to her side of the car to open the door, but she had already done so. She darted down the steep staircase to the white sand beach below. Her hair whipped around her as she looked back and yelled, "Heero! Come on!" She threw her arms up in the sky and twirled around before stopping to face the ocean. Her eyes were closed as she inhaled the intoxicating salty air. Unable to resist, he kissed her right then and there. The kiss was deep and loving, not necessarily burning with passion but it possessed its own familiar quality that was undeniably steeped in adoration. Needing oxygen, they separated, panting as they tried to catch their breath. When he looked into the ocean of her eyes, he saw the blue-green sea that he could drown in. But she would undoubtedly rescue him, like she unknowingly did from the waves that had threatened to drown him. He had never told her… Maybe now would be a good time.

"You saved my life," he blurted out.

"What?" Relena blinked, unsure of what he meant.

"You saved me, Relena. When we first met, on this very beach over two and a half years ago."

"What?" She asked again as she lightly laughed his remark off. "No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did. I had passed out from lack of oxygen. I had depleted my oxygen tank swimming to the beach. I don't remember making it to the beach, perhaps the waves brought me here… to you. If you hadn't have pulled off my helmet when you did, I would have died. You saved me."

She listened intently to his words as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. _Me? Save him? No, I couldn't have saved him_, she thought. He was the one who was always rescuing her.

"Relena… I didn't realize it myself until this week. You saved me and you continue to save me, my humanity, my heart and my future. Without you… I don't know where I would be. Probably dead somewhere…" He ruffled a hand through his hair and looked out at the sea.

"Heero…"

He didn't let her continue. Turning back to her, he cupped her face in his hands, his thumb caressing her cheek as he spoke. "And it took me even longer to realize that I'm in love with you."

Relena's oceanic orbs overflowed with pure joy. _And I'm so in love with you_, she wanted to say but words failed her. Instead, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed herself as close to him as humanly possible and kissed him, conveying just how much she loved him.

Still cupping both of her cheeks, Heero peeled away from their breathtaking kiss and looked directly into the depths of her eyes...her very soul and whispered on her now swollen lips, "I love you, Relena. I think I always have."

She couldn't contain her happiness, pure joy radiated from her. "Heero…"

He sealed his greatest secret by covering her lips with his. The kiss robbed him of air, but she breathed life into him, giving him a purpose… a reason to live… to love.

The two star crossed lovers continued to makeout and profess their undying love for one another until the sound of ambulance sirens reached their ears. In sync, they looked upwards just in time to see flashing lights weez by. Relena couldn't help but laugh and giggle. Heero looked at her lovingly and chuckled. After a moment of silence, just enjoying each other's company and their newly shared feelings, Heero said, "We should probably get going."

"Yeah, we should," Relena said and started for the stairs, but Heero's hand caught her wrist.

"I don't want to go. Not yet," he confessed. His Prussian blue eyes stormed with emotion as he pulled her back into his warm embrace and kissed her one last time on their beach.

01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101

They reached the spaceport, sneaking in a back entrance to stay away from the prying eyes and the paparazzi that were eager to get a glimpse of the recently resurrected Vice Foreign Minister. Heero received a text from Trowa while they were driving that the aircraft was good to go. He was thankful that he didn't have to waste time preparing for take off because it allowed him to spend some quality time with Relena. Taking a hold of her hand, he led her up the stairs and into the cabin.

"Wait here. I'm going to get our bags."

This time he, loaded all six of her suitcases himself in addition to his one. He put his right behind the pilot seat in case he needed it. The plane had been running for awhile and it was surprisingly hot inside. Relena discarded her pale yellow scarf as she sat down in the co-pilot chair watching Heero adjust the air to a cooler temperature.

"Ready?" He glanced over at her with the corner of his mouth tugging up.

"Yes, I'm ready," Relena replied with an enthusiastic smile. She couldn't be happier. Heero loved her and he was flying them back to their world. She couldn't wait to start this new chapter in life with him.

Once in the air, Heero let go of the controls and pulled a giggling Relena into his lap so that she was straddling him. "Heero!" she squealed in delight as he ravaged her neck. "You're starting something that we can't possibly finish," she purred.

"I know," he gruffly replied into her ear, gently licking her earlobe before nibbling on the sensitive skin.

Relena let out a euphoric moan, her hips automatically rubbing against his growing arousal. The sensation of riding him was absolutely maddening. "Ahh, Heero…" she moaned into his lips before exploring his mouth with her tongue.

Heero loved how she tasted, how her hips teased his manhood, and how her hard nipples rubbed against his chest ever so slightly. "I want you," he growled seductively, taking a quick second to look over her shoulder to make sure they were still on course. He smirked to himself before planting more kisses on the erogenous spot on her neck. He knew it drove her mad with desire. She bucked her hips against him faster. Relena groaned in protest when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down on him so she couldn't move as much. "Heero…"

"Shhh… I'm going to make you come."

Relena's eyes flew up to his in panic. "But I'm still on my period!"

Heero smirked and cooly replied, "Blood doesn't bother me."

"But…" she began to protest but stopped as she felt Heero's hand lightly dance across her thigh, causing her skin to pebble as a ripple of pleasure coursed through her. His other hand expertly adjusted the yoke on the aircraft to change their direction unbeknownst to an otherwise distracted Relena.

His hand traveled higher and higher still until he found his target. Using his thumb he traced circles around her covered sweet spot, then down her folds, separating her lower lips. Relena rested her head in the crook of his shoulder while he repeated his tantalizing torture over and over again. She was panting hard as she was getting closer to reaching her climax, but Heero denied her.

"Agh! Heero! Don't tease!" She begged and pleaded but her words fell on deaf ears. Heero captured her lips, completely robbing her of air. Just when she thought she was going to need one of those air masks that dropped from the plane's ceiling, Heero released her.

"Strip for me," his voice thick with lust as he half commanded and pleaded with her.

Relena's cheeks heated with a mixture of excitement and shyness. She had been naked in front of Heero several times but she had never performed a strip tease, especially not while on a plane. She threw improperity out the window as she gracefully slid off of him. Relena provocatively straightened so her breasts grazed his face as she stood. His deep blue eyes betrayed his once guarded heart as he looked at her with a dark desire that made her heart race and her panties wet. She slowly removed her boots, gray leggings, loop belt and her oversized maroon sweater dress, discarding the clothing haphazardly onto the co-pilot's seat. Her sheer lace bra left little to the imagination. Heero raised a hand to cup her breast but she pushed him away and sent him a warning look.

"Patience…" she whispered in a sexy voice that made even the Perfect Soldier's skin pebble with anticipation. He slightly moved to try and alleviate some of the tension that was building in his loins, but the friction from adjusting himself only made it worse. Heero's mouth watered and his hands clenched as she massaged her breasts and pinched her nipples making them harder and larger than they had been before. Unhooking her bra, she threw it on top of the growing pile next to them.

The remaining piece of clothing was nothing particularly special and definitely did not exude the meaning of sexy by any means, but Relena turned around and shook her ass. She didn't see Heero's expression but she hoped that he was still turned on despite her old granny panties that she reserved for this time of the month. He must have enjoyed the show because he gave her butt a playful smack, then proceeded to remove the garment for her. Once it was tossed aside, his hands rested on her hips and slowly guided her to turn around towards him. She dipped her head away from him and blushed furiously.

"You're beautiful…" he said in a hushed tone.

Suddenly, the plane jolted and jerked with turbulence, causing Relena to cry out and fall into Heero's arms. He caught her with one arm while he regained control of the aircraft in a mere matter of seconds with the other.

"Shhh, I've got you," he tried to comfort her.

"We could have died!" she blurted out even though she knew it was irrational to think such a thing. _I always overreact when I'm on my period._

Heero threw back his head and laughed. Completely baffled by his response, Relena exclaimed, "What?! We could have!" Heero continued to laugh and shook his head, then cupped her face, his kind eyes searching hers. "You really think I would let us die?" he asked in a teasing voice. "I am a Gundam Pilot afterall," he boasted.

"No, but…" Relena still refuted him.

"No buts, unless you want to talk about this sexy butt right here," Heero said as he firmly grabbed her ass.

"Heero!" she fell against him from the force of his grip.

Kissing the crown of her head, he smiled into her golden tresses and whispered, "I love you, Relena."

She looked up and smiled. "I love you, too." Relena easily lost herself in those Prussian blue orbs while one of his hands massaged her derriere and the other found a breast to fondle. Her breathing and heart rate once again began to rise. Tilting her head to the side, silently begging him to kiss her neck. He obliged, licking then gently blowing and nibbling on the sensitive skin there. If she hadn't already been on her period, she would have been drenched from how aroused she was.

Heero's mouth traveled further south to claim one of her mounds while his hands held her hips firmly in place. She had begun to thrust against him without even realizing it. With a wet plop, he released her breast to give the other one the same treatment. He loved the sensation of feeling her nipple grow and hardened in his mouth as he sucked on them. He also loved the breathy moans that came from his lover's mouth. Satisfied with his work, he kissed his way from her breastbone, to her clavicle up to her jaw and finally capturing her sweet pink lips, their tongues dancing with one another. Heero's fingertips traced lazy lines on her hips down to her inner thighs. Instinctually, Relena parted her legs allowing him further access. The familiar smell of metallic liquid hit his nostrils and triggered an animalistic response in him.

His teeth sunk into her lower lip, causing her to moan in both pain and pleasure. His fingers lightly rubbed her folds spreading them, then he dipped one finger inside. She cried out loudly from the intrusion. She was still so tight. Her inner walls hugged his digit tightly as he fingered her. Then, he added another one causing her to writhe and wiggle. At first, he pumped them in and out slowly but once she felt like she had loosened up a little bit, he sped up, faster and faster, pushing deeper into her with every thrust. The sheath around his fingers began to clamp down around him. _She's close,_ he thought. Smirking, he looked up at his princess whose head was back and mouth was open, emitting the loudest of moans. He felt warm liquid flow down his hand as he continued to finger fuck her. Wanting to feel and see her climax, he began flicking his thumb over her clitoris. One, two, three and… her walls caved in and locked his fingers in place as she erupted in pure bliss.

"HEEEERRRROOOO!" She screamed loudly as she was overwhelmed with pleasure.

As she came down from her high, Heero placed feathery kisses all over the side of her face. He removed his hand, which was covered in her blood… blood that he was oddly proud of spilling. And he would gladly do it again. When Relena got a glimpse at his hand, her eyes widened from the gory sight. She dared to look down and saw how her blood had splashed against his light denim jeans and signature green tank top.

"Oh my…" Relena put a hand to her mouth and muttered an apology.

"It's okay. Just reach behind the seat. My bag is back there, grab my black shirt."

She followed his instructions and retrieved the shirt and was about to put it on when a strong, calloused hand stopped her. Taking the shirt from her grip, Heero used it to wipe his hands and clean her up as best as he could.

"Thank you," she whispered shyly, blushing profusely.

"You know I'd do anything for you," he whispered back and gave her a quick peck on the check.

"Yeah, I know. I love you, Heero." Her eyes began to fill with happy tears.

"I love you, too."

She would never get tired of hearing those words from him. Closing her eyes, she savored it as she snuggled into him for his warmth. As she did so, she felt his rather impressive arousal still pulsing against her thigh.

"We might experience some more turbulence soon. They are some storms ahead. It might be better if you take your own seat," Heero said.

Relena smiled, thinking how sweet he was to politely tell her what he wanted her to do. In the past, he would have just commanded her in a stern voice but he was so loving, so kind and so gentle with her now. _I love you, Heero Yuy._

She stood and was about to take her seat when an idea struck her. Turning back to Heero, she looked at him like he was her prey. She had an intensity in her eyes that made Heero's heart skip a beat. "I want you," she purred seductively as she knelt before him, rubbing his confined hardness.

"Relena…" he growled.

She innocently looked up at him and dared him to try to move her from his position. "You can fly us through any storm. You _are_ a Gundam pilot afterall."

_Damn it_, he thought. He should focus on flying but he _was_ a great pilot and he would prove to her just how great he was.

She unzipped his pants and his cock sprung up to greet her. Stroking him up and down, she sized him up. Somehow he seemed even bigger than she remembered. Maybe it had something to do with their altitude? She didn't know or care as long as she could have him. Glancing up to see his face, she saw his fierce eyes trained on the windshield in front of him. Both of his hands gripped the yoke tightly, perhaps too tightly because his knuckles were white. She smiled, proud of herself for having such a profound effect on the Perfect Soldier. She would break him and his damn resolve. Licking her lips, she couldn't wait to taste him, to have him in her mouth so she went for it. She sucked on his head lightly, then swirled her tongue around it before sucking it again. He was her lollipop and she wanted to know how many licks it would take to get to the center, to make him cum. Determined to drive him crazy, she licked him base to tip, tracing that one large vein that stuck out further than the rest. Heero shifted in his seat ever so slightly. Relena's eyes flew up to look at him. She wasn't disappointed. His gorgeous blue eyes were heavy with lust.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked.

She just continued to lick him as she looked at him watching her. "What do you mean?" She asked coyly.

Heero removed one of his hands from the yoke to grab a fist full of her hair. "Suck it," he commanded.

"Patience…" she teased.

Heero groaned in sexual frustration and thrust his hips up so his cock slipped into her mouth. She didn't take the bait though. Instead, she spit on his head and began to rub his hot, rock hard shaft. Her hand could barely wrap around his entire girth. She worked him until she saw clear precum pooling at the tip of his dick. Her tongue darted out to lap up his essence before it spilled over. He tasted salty and her mouth instantly watered for more. She finally took his velvet covered steel fully into her mouth where she sucked on him good and long.

Heero let out the sexiest moan as he felt her take him entirely into her mouth. Glancing away from the controls, he looked down to see his naked lover bobbing up and down on his manhood. He couldn't resist from tugging her head back so he could see her face. She was beautiful. Little bits of saliva strung from her open mouth to his dick. He pushed her head back down and thrust himself up, pushing his cock into and down her throat. The sensation of feeling her gag around his member was glorious. It didn't last long though because he had to grip the yoke once more with both hands to keep the plane level.

Heero had been right in his initial assessment. There was a lot of turbulence and Relena did her best to continue to suck him off, but she was also fearful of hurting him while being jolted around. She decided to go back to using her hands to please her man. Altering between moving her hands straight up and down and twisting up and down was clearly having an effect on him. He was thrusting into her hands and letting out the sexiest little moans while he battled to keep the plane in the air. Briefly pausing to add more saliva, Relena enjoyed feeling his hard cock pulse beneath her palms. She quickened her pace and gripped him a little tighter as he came. He came hard. And he came all over her face. She sucked his dick clean and then proceeded to lick what she could reach around her lips.

"Relena…" Heero panted.

Thoroughly satisfied with her work, she stood and found that black shirt and wiped herself off. Then she found a blanket in the cockpit and wrapped herself in it and pushed the clothes onto the floor. She took her seat, at his right hand and buckled up. Only when she was secure in her seat, did she look over at him. A bead of sweat rolled down his neck as his chest heaved. His penis was still out of his pants. He looked over at her and with a big smirk he said, "You're the best co-pilot I've ever had."

01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101

A few hours before they landed, Relena took a shower and rinsed the essence of their lust away. She towel dried her hair as best as she could before she began to blow dry her hair. Thirty minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom feeling like a new woman. She sauntered into the cockpit and flipped her hair over her shoulder as she sent Heero a flirtatious look.

"I set the plane to autopilot. I'm going to go take a quick shower," he gave her a quick peck on the check. Just before he left the cockpit, he warned her, "And don't touch anything." She giggled and promised she wouldn't. While he used the onboard bathroom, Relena pulled out her tablet and ran through her ever growing to do list. Thankfully, Karen, her assistant would be able to help her with most of the tasks.

Sighing, she leaned against the window and looked out to the fluffy white clouds below. She was glad to be getting back into the swing of things but part of her wished that she could be on vacation forever with Heero. The past week had been a whirlwind and she wasn't quite ready to let it all end, but their mile high fun was a welcomed distraction from reality. She had a duty to the people of the ESUN. She swore an oath and she would fulfill her duties to the best of her abilities during her term. Sighing once more, she resigned herself to her plight and began working on a speech for her upcoming tour.

She had been rapidly typing away and didn't even notice when Heero resumed his position at the helm of their airplane. Apparently, she had been working for quite awhile because they were beginning their descent into Brussels. Half relieved and half annoyed to be "home", she stowed away her electronic devices and glanced over at Heero. Although he didn't look at her, he must have felt her gaze because he asked, "Are you sure?"

She knew he was asking if she wanted to go back to her life and her world, but somehow in that short question he also implied that he would take her anywhere, do anything she asked of him, and he wouldn't judge he either way. Relena smiled and said, "Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright." Heero flipped a switch on the control panel and said, "Winged Dove is coming in for a landing." Not ten minutes later, they landed. A few black unmarked Preventer SUVs pulled up next to the jet. Heero opened the hatch door and cautiously welcomed two Preventer agents aboard. He always did a thorough security check on anyone who came near her, Preventer or not. Relena's eyes narrowed at the young men; she recognized them but couldn't remember their names. They hauled out her luggage and put them into one of the cars. Heero escorted Relena down the stairs onto the tarmac where Karen was waiting for her. The driver opened the door for them and they all climbed inside.

"It's so good to have you back Vice Foreign Minister!" Karen greeted her, ignoring Heero.

"Thank you, Karen. It will be an adjustment being back but there is work to be done," Relena replied.

"Speaking of which, I have an itinerary for this upcoming week. The schedule is grueling and rather packed but your publicist thought it would be best to get as many interviews, public appearances and photo shoots in the books as soon as possible." Karen rattled off a few while Heero sent daggers into her skull with his eyes. Noticing his death glare, she continued, "Of course, I told her that everything needed to be approved by the head of your security." Instead of handing Relena a copy, Karen handed the itinerary directly to Heero.

"Thank you. I'll look into these and determine if these appointments are in secure locations and have the appropriate safety precautions," Heero said in his deep baritone voice.

Relena tried to get a glimpse of what her upcoming week would supposedly look like but Heero had already stuffed it into his bag. He would undoubtedly cut some appointments for her "safety" aka so she didn't overwork herself. Frustrated, she sat back against the cool leather and tried to rationalize his behavior. _He is just trying to look out for me_, she thought.

"Oh! I forgot to mention, Preventer Po would like to see you both first thing tomorrow morning," Karen said.

"Why?" Heero asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm sure Sally just wants to see how we're doing," Relena smiled, looking from Heero to Karen.

"Yes, she wanted to check on both of your injuries and clear you for work," Karen replied with a broad smile. "We will drop you off at home first, Preventer Yuy. Then…"

"Absolutely not. I'm going to be staying with the Vice Foreign Minister," Heero snapped.

"Ahem, if you would let me finish, Preventer Yuy… I was saying that we will drop you at home so you can get whatever items you need before we go to Miss Relena's home," Karen shot back.

"Unnecessary. I have everything I need," Heero said curtly then banged on the driver partition and told him, "Take us directly to the Vice Foreign Minister's home."

They finally reached her home. It had taken almost 30 minutes longer due to Heero's instance on taking a less conspicuous route. He said something about taking the road less traveled. She could have cared less about what road they used, as long as it took her back to her place as fast as possible. All she wanted to do was get home and go to bed. It had been a long day and she was sick of traveling. Relena was relieved when the car finally came to a stop. She was just about to hop out when Heero ordered a complete search of the building. All 15 floors. Relena groaned and slumped back into her seat. There was no doubt that Heero was back to being the head of her security.

01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101

After sitting in the car for 45 minutes, Relena had had enough. Much to Heero's disapproval, she quickly got out of the car and headed directly for the elevator. Despite wanting to call out to her, he didn't. It would bring them unwanted attention that he did not need to deal with. Thankfully, the agents had swept most of the building but that didn't give her any reason to pull a stunt like this. He walked quickly towards her, easily catching up to her thanks to his long legs.

"Relena, what are you doing?!" He gritted his teeth which muffled his angry rebuke.

She refused to answer. In words that is. She pushed the up button a few times more forcefully than necessary and once the elevator door opened, she pushed the number to her floor, crossed her arms and turned away from him.

Heero looked at her in complete bewilderment. _What the hell is happening?!_ He didn't say anything, he just looked at her, assessing the situation and tried to think of a solution. Part of him wanted to yell at her but another part wanted to embrace her. _Emotions and feelings are stupid_, he silently concluded. Heero opted to follow her example by crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. The elevator ride felt long, too long. Heero glared at the control panel, willing it to go faster. His eyes unwillingly darted over to Relena, and immediately his heart sunk. She was crying. _But why?! What the hell is going on?!_ The elevator had just come to a stop and the door opened. She quickly exited while rummaging through her purse for her keys. Heero wanted to remind her that she should always have her keys ready but he didn't. Instead, he just got out his key and gently said, "I got it." He opened the door and held it open for her. Relena muttered a "thank you" and stomped in.

_That's it!_, he thought. "Relena, what the hell is going on?!" Heero asked, a bit rougher and louder than he wanted.

Relena threw her purse onto the couch, nearby where the agents had placed her other bags. "Nothing!" she snapped back with a lot of sass.

Heero's eyes narrowed, assessing the situation. He took a deep breath to remind himself to keep calm and not to yell at her. It only seemed to make matters worse when he did. "Relena… it's obviously not nothing. Why don't you tell me what's really going on?" he said cautiously walking over to her.

"This! All of the security sweeps! It is highly unnecessary, Heero! You designed the security system for this entire building, for goodness sakes! You know it's safe," Relena snapped back.

Heero mentally counted to three before replying, "Actually, I don't know if it's safe until the perimeter and interior has been secured. We can't take any chances. You are still a target and will always be as long as you represent hope and peace."

"Heero, I understand you're just trying to do your job but I'm tired and I just want to go to bed," Relena threw up her hands and stomped towards her bedroom.

He reached out to her and grabbed her by the arm stopping her. "Relena… I promised that I would protect you but in order to protect you, I have to do my job. I can't _try_ to do my job. There is no trying. Only doing. I have to protect you. One mistake is all it takes, Relena. I can't make another one. Not if it means you getting hurt or worse. I swore that I would protect you but you have to let me do my job."

Relena turned back to him, tears running down her rose colored cheeks. "I'm just another mission to you, aren't I?!" She pulled away from him and ran into her room, slamming the door behind her.

Frustrated, Heero ran a hand through his hair and tried not to break the vase next to him. He needed to blow off some steam so he decided to head to Relena's small home gym and workout.

01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101

Two hours later, he emerged drenched in sweat and reeked of body odor. He needed to refill his water bottle for the third time but paused when he saw Relena setting an empty wine glass on the counter. Her back was to him and he didn't want to disturb her. Heck, he didn't even know what to say or do. Like an idiot, he just stood in the living room, sweat dripping from his brow, because he was afraid to approach her. _Afraid? What am I afraid of? _His thoughts scared him. He had never been fearful of anything, let alone anyone. Relena turned just enough so he could catch a glimpse of her face. Her eyes were red and puffy and she looked so sad. _Relena_… his chest physically pained him like he had been shot again. Then it clicked, he was afraid that he was going to lose her because of their fight. He had to do something, anything. So he called out to her.

"Relena!"

She stopped, her head hung low and she initially hesitated to look over at him but then she finally did. He sent her a small smile and tentatively approached her, his mind turning like gears, desperately trying to think of what to say next. All that came to his mind was… "I love you."

She smiled, the brightest one he had seen all night, and replied, "I love you, too." And despite him smelling awful and his shirt being completely soaked through, she went to him sobbing. She buried her face in his chest, her shoulders heaving from crying and he just held her repeating those three little words over and over again.

After a few minutes, she calmed down enough to speak. "I'm so sorry, Heero. I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You're just doing your job and I know you want to protect me and I know you love me. I just… I just…" Relena began to cry again.

He kissed the top of her head as he smoothed her hair. "It's okay. I forgive you. It's been a long day. And I shouldn't have yelled at you either. I'm sorry." He peeled her off of him so he could look into her beautiful sea-blue eyes. Cupping her chin, he gently kissed her. "You need to get some rest, but first I think we need to take a shower. How does that sound?"

She nodded and said, "That sounds good. You do smell pretty bad." She lightly laughed and sent him a small smile.

Heero couldn't help but grin. "I need some help changing my bandages. Can you help me?" He asked softly.

Relena knew that he of all people didn't need help but she delighted in the fact that he asked her anyways. "Of course, I'd be happy to."

Holding out his arm, he signalled for her to lead the way. As she walked in front of him, Heero couldn't stop himself from checking out her ass that was barely covered by the oversized t-shirt she was wearing. He also took pride in the fact that she was in _his_ shirt. They had barely made it into the room, when she took it off and slowly, deliberately, turned around and revealed her beautiful naked figure to him.

Heero smirked. It was going to be a good evening, afterall.

01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101

Author's Note:

Heero finally said it! Yay! It seems like it's been an eternity but only a week has transpired in this story so far. Things will begin to pick up now that they are back in Brussels. I pinky promise!

The cockpit scene was inspired by A Great Pilot by peachandbetty. If you've never read it, you need to! It's soooo good! I hope this particular rendition of what transpired in the cockpit was a fun read. It was certainly fun to write! Hehe

What did you think of their first fight? I think they need some makeup sex, don't you? Let me know in your review. I may write an extra shower scene at the beginning of chapter 13, depending on interest. Hehe ;-)

Let me know what you think of the latest installment of Broken in the review box below. Also, don't forget to follow, favorite, read, review… all that good stuff! Reviews inspire me and encourage me to keep posting. Thank you all so much! Much love!

In Rose,

Wings Landing


	13. Inadequate

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Wing. I don't make any money off of this.

**Author's Note: **Lemon content ahead

**Chapter 13: Inadequate**

He had woken up at 4:58am, a few minutes before his alarm. His internal alarm clock had never failed him no matter how weary or tired he was, he always woke up when he was supposed to. He had been trained long ago to do so. However, his chest tightened as he glanced down at the sleeping beauty in his arms. He didn't want to get up, not yet. Closing his eyes again, he just enjoyed the next 110 seconds holding her. Just before his alarm went off, he turned it off in order to allow her to sleep a little bit longer. Reluctantly, he pulled himself away without waking her.

Silently finding his bag, he retrieved his bullet proof vest along with his Preventer uniform. The dress shirt and pants were wrinkled. His eyes narrowed in frustration. He had forgotten. No, he had made the conscious decision not to iron them last night because of her. _Damn it._ She was so distracting. He decided that he should have more clothes ready just in case this particular scenario happened again, knowing full well that it would or at least he hoped. She had always been demanding in a gentle but somehow firm sort of way. He'd be damned if he didn't give her what she wanted, he pondered as he pressed his uniform, allowing his mind wander back to the previous night. Her slim fingers tracing his scars before kissing each and every one of them. His skin pebbled and his cock twitched at the memory. Noticing the time, he mentally shook his head and told himself, _get it together, you have a job to do_. He steeled himself for this first task of the day, one he thoroughly enjoyed and hoped that he would be able to do for the rest of time. Leaning over the edge of the bed, he whispered her name as he gingerly brushed some long blonde tresses out of her eyes.

"Relena," he whispered again. "It's time to get up."

She stirred and blinked her eyes open. "Heero?" she asked quietly.

"It's time to get up," he repeated. In the past, he never would have repeated himself but he had changed. Their relationship had evolved. All because of her. His heart filled with love and admiration for the woman who had been the reason for all of this change.

"Good morning," she cooed as she stretched revealing a breast.

Heero swallowed and tried to control his body's natural response to her. Her smile and sparkling eyes called to him. He smiled as he leaned down to give her a good morning kiss.

"You better get up. You don't want to be late for your first day back, do you Vice Foreign Minister?"

Relena groaned, then stretched once more before getting up and going into the bathroom. While she began her morning routine, Heero put on his pants and undershirt before joining her in the bathroom to brush his teeth. She had just finished putting her hair back in a low ponytail and was securing the bow when he glanced over at her. She was still naked. He quickly averted his eyes back down to the sink as his cheeks warmed.

She couldn't help but notice his reaction in the brightly lit room. Smiling to herself, she walked past him, swaying her hips just a little bit more than usual. How she loved to tease her perfect soldier.

He saw a glimpse of her perfect ass before it was covered with a tweed skirt. His mind's eye reverted to the previous night and how gorgeous it looked, especially when wet and soapy. He wanted her, but there was no time. Not today. Mentally cursing that she had to go back to work, he put on his bulletproof vest. He could feel her gaze but he continued getting ready. Determined to not let his siren distract him from his duty, he finished buttoning up his white dress shirt then he slipped on his Preventer jacket. Only when he heard her finish dressing did he dare to look at her.

Turning side to side in front of her floor length mirror, she examined herself with a critical eye for anything that may be amiss. A voice from behind her pulled her from her thoughts.

"You look beautiful, as always."

She smiled and turned toward him. His eyes, his killer eyes, made her breath hitch and her stomach knot. The way he looked at her made her knees weak. If he hadn't enveloped her in his arms, when he did, she might have become a puddle on the floor. Her lips found his, wanting and desperate for more. She sighed as he pulled away from the rather chaste kiss.

"We need to go. The car is waiting downstairs."

Forcing a smile, she nodded and said, "alright," while trying not to sound disappointed.

Heero noticed her change in tone and the slight drop in her posture, he took ahold of one of her hands and gave it a squeeze. "Let's go out for dinner tonight," he said, surprising not only Relena but himself.

The shock quickly dissipated into pure joy. Her smile lit up the whole room as she replied, "I would love that."

He couldn't help but smile and give her another quick kiss before escorting her down to the lobby and out to her car.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

Sally patted Relena's arm and said, "You are healing really well. The bruising is nearly gone and you look well rested." Snapping off her gloves, she typed some notes on the computer before looking back at her patient. "So how _was_ your vacation?" Sally asked, her eyes dancing with anticipation.

Relena couldn't help but blush from the insinuation. "Well, it was… it was… lovely really."

Sally's eyebrows rose as she smiled. "Oh really?"

Relena's blush deepened as she fidgeted on the exam table. "Heero and I… well… we ummm…"

Using her feet to steer her rolling stool in front of Relena, Sally leaned in close and took Relena's hands in her own and asked, "Do you need birth control?" Her eyes gleamed with happiness and excitement."

"Well, I… I don't know. I haven't really thought about it, but I think I should since we are…"

Sally leaned in even closer, hanging on every word Relena spoke. "You are…?"

"Oh Sally! I love him! I love him so much! And he loves me too! He told me yesterday just before we left to come home," Relena blurted out.

"Ahhhh!" Sally threw her hands up and danced in her chair. "How exciting! Details! Tell me everything!" So Relena regaled Sally with the specifics from the most amazing week of her life as her friend listened with tears of joy forming in her eyes. "Oh Relena! I am so happy for you!"

"Thank you, me too! It's like a dream come true," Relena gushed.

Just then a knock on the door brought them out of their dream-like state. Sally asked, "who is it?"

"It's me. Is everything okay in there?" Heero asked in his deep voice.

"Yes, come in," Sally said.

Heero entered, his eyes quickly assessing the situation. "Are you sure everything is okay?" He eyed Relena in particular who was patting her eyes dry.

"Yes, yes. The Vice Foreign Minister is perfectly healthy and is healing very well. Thank you for taking such good care of her. She definitely needed the vacation," Sally said.

Heero didn't look at Sally as she spoke, he just watched Relena and how her cheeks reddened ever so slightly, then he skeptically looked from Relena to Sally. "Are you sure?"

Sally pursed her lips and glared at him, "Heero, I assure you that she is perfectly fine." Then she turned to Relena. "Remember not to overdo it this week. Make sure you get enough sleep."

"I'll make sure she does," Heero said.

"Oh, I have no doubt that you will," Sally said, while thinking Heero will probably wear her out beforehand. Trying not to giggle, she turned to Relena and continued, "Oh and I'll send you some more information." She winked and patted her on the knee. "You can get down now. Just let me know if you have any questions or concerns."

Relena hopped down from the table and adjusted her skirt. "Thank you, Sally."

Heero opened the door for Relena and nodded at Sally who called out to him, "take good care of her, Heero," winking at him before he shut the door. Suspicious of what had just transpired, he looked to his other half with questioning eyes. However, she expertly averted his silent interrogation by asking him if he would escort her to the President's office for her first meeting of the day. The walk was quiet and relatively short but they both just enjoyed each other's presence. Just before Relena went in, Heero's fingers brushed hers. He smiled and said, "Go get 'em." She smiled back at him and stood a little taller, as he opened the door for her.

Once she was secure, he made his way to his office. Upon arrival, he found Wufei sitting in his chair with a large stack of files in front of him. "You're late, Yuy."

Heero just cut to the chase and asked, "What are those?"

"Reports. Reports that you should have completed. Une was on my ass all week because you didn't do your job," Wufei all but yelled.

"I completed everything that was assigned to me," Heero replied.

"Yeah, well that's because I finished all of these for you," Wufei said, slowly allowing a smile to grace his previously scornful face.

Heero smirked and said, "thanks".

Wufei stood and walked over to the door. "Glad to have you back." And then he was gone.

He walked over to his desk, collected the files and put them away before opening up his laptop. His fingers flew across the keyboard until they came across what he was looking for. It wasn't difficult to hack into her email. Something that he would need to fix today, but not until he read Sally's email. He clicked on the message, his eyes widening at the content. Everything made sense now. They had talked about him and what happened. Oddly enough, he felt glad and perhaps relieved that Relena had talked with Sally. It was going to make his conversation with her less awkward, or so he hoped. Closing out of all of the applications, he signed off and shut his computer down. He needed answers.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

A knock rattled her office door while she reviewed a patient file. Without looking up, she said, "come in", expecting one of the nurses to bring her a cup of coffee.

"Did you prescribe Relena birth control?"

Her head shot up. "Heero!" she exclaimed. "What a pleasure seeing you two times in less than an hour. What can I do for you?" 

"Answer the question," he stepped forward, demanding to know.

"I'm afraid that's confidential," she smiled up at him. "Please take a seat, Heero."

Annoyed with her response, he tried again, "Don't put her on birth control. She shouldn't take anything artificial."

Sally's eyebrows rose. "I appreciate your concern for her but it is _her_ decision."

"I know that." Heero ran a hand through his hair and sighed causing Sally to lean in as she waited patiently for him to share what was on his mind.

After a minute, Heero finally said, "I need you to run some tests."

"What tests?" 

"I need to know if my… if I can have kids," Heero looked down at the ground, unable to meet her gaze.

Sally leaned back in her chair, processing what he had said. "Is there a reason why you think that you can't have children?"

He looked back at her with his usual stoic expression and replied, "Yes. Dr. J told me that I couldn't. That I had been sterilized."

It took every ounce of professional decorum for Sally not to get upset. Instead, she took a deep breath. "Well we can certainly find that out. I'll need a sample of your semen. Give me a few moments and I'll get the collection cup."

"No one can know," Heero said quietly.

"Right. This is off the books. I'll run the test myself," Sally reassured him, giving his shoulder a quick squeeze before leaving the office. She returned a few moments later with all of the necessary materials. "You may use the patient room down the hallway, two doors down on the right. No one is using the rooms in that hallway. Here's my badge to access the wing. Bring back the sample in this take out box so no one suspects anything. I have 20 minutes before I see my next patient."

He nodded and collected the items she gave him. "Thanks."

It didn't take long for him to find the room. He went into the adjoining bathroom, washed his hands, unzipped his pants and wiped his dick clean so the sample wouldn't be contaminated. Closing his eyes, he rubbed himself, imagining how he was going to make love to Relena for the very first time. It didn't take him long to reach his climax. He deposited his load into the clear container and secured the lid. He washed his hands again and zipped his pants, before placing the sample inside the to-go box like Sally had instructed. Stealthy, he avoided three nurses on the way back to Sally's office. Finally, he reached his destination and set the precious cargo down on her desk.

"When will the results be in?"

"No later than this afternoon. Come back at 1pm and I'll give you the results," Sally smiled warmly and added, "don't worry, Heero. Regardless of the results, she will always love you."

With that, Heero took his leave feeling strange. He felt…unsure. Maybe even a little worried. _Damn feelings_, he told himself. He was just starting to get used to these new sensations and admittedly it was new territory for him. It confused him and frustrated him at the same time. Then he thought of her and the future he wanted for them and felt a sense of hope… and peace.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

"Miss Relena!" Karen ran down the hall as fast as her pencil skirt and heels would allow. "I have the research you requested."

Relena stopped and held her hand out to grab the papers from her assistant, then continued to walk at a fast pace down the hall, listing off one task after another for Karen to complete. "Schedule a meeting with the Foreign Secretary of Agriculture. I'll need statistics on agricultural trade. Also, what sort of crops can be grown on Mars. You may need to reach out to the Mars Terraformation Committee and get specifics from their biologists."

Karen recorded her boss' orders while requesting a meeting with the FSA. "The Foreign Secretary of Labor wants to meet with you to discuss the unemployment crisis. He also mentioned that he is on board with Mars becoming the next foreign territory and wants to help in any way he can."

"Excellent!" Relena exclaimed. "We need more workers on Mars, but as of right now, we have no way of getting a large workforce there."

"Actually he has already spoke with some wealthy businessmen who are interested in funding labor and supply transports to Mars."

Relena smiled at Karen. "I'm assuming he's spoken with Mr. Winner then." The two ladies rounded a corner, their pumps clicking and clacking on the tiles as they walked.

"Yes, Mr. Winner sent over some blueprints of brand new spacecrafts that he is already constructing," Karen said.

_Thank you, Quatre! I don't know what I'd do without you_, Relena thought happily. "Excellent. Could you get me the latest job and unemployment numbers? How many jobs are available, what the pay rates are, what the benefits are, the quality of jobs, where they are located, etc. Get me anything and everything you can find. It's time that we get our fellow citizens back to work." Relena came to a halt outside of the Secretary of the Treasury's office and said, "Wish me luck!"

"You don't need luck, Miss Relena!" Karen replied and turned on her heel to go back to her desk. She had a lot of work to do and not enough time to do it. Which reminded her that she still needed to find a second assistant for Miss Relena. Sighing to herself, she told herself to focus on her first task of securing an appointment with the Foreign Secretary of Agriculture.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

Relena bounced around from meeting to meeting until noon. She had intended on getting lunch in the cafeteria but she had so much to catch up on and wanted to get as much done as possible. She was so engrossed in writing yet another proposal for funding that she didn't even realize when Heero was standing right in front of her desk.

Heero walked around the desk and put his hand around her mouth to cover her startled scream and kissed the side of her head before whispering in her ear, "You really should be more careful, Relena." He released her and moved back just in case she tried to retaliate.

"HEERO! You scared me!" Relena put both hands on her desk to ground herself.

"Good. Next time it might be someone who might not have the best intentions," Heero scolded her.

"Oh for goodness sakes, Heero. We are in the safest building on the entire planet. I'm perfectly safe here!" Relena fumed.

Heero smirked down at her and leaned in close enough to kiss her. "You know, I love when you get mad." His eyes twinkling as he searched hers. "You look so hot," he said slowly in his incredibly deep secy voice.

Her cheeks flamed bright red as she tried to think of a witty response but nothing came to mind. All she wanted to do was kiss him. She closed her eyes and made her move, however all she seemed to kiss was air. Opening her eyes, she saw his eyes glimmering with humor. Ticked off again, she went to smack his little smirk off his handsome face but he caught her wrist and gently kissed the back of her hand. Then he brought her close and whispered, "I love you," and finally captured her lips. It took her a moment to respond to him, she was still mad, but she felt the anger slowly slip away from her as he sweetly kissed her.

Breathless, she pulled away and sat back while his hands rested protectively on the arms of the chair. "I love you too, but please don't scare me like that again." His smirk reappeared.

"I promise not to do it again… today," he tantalized.

"Heero!" she screeched back.

"Relena… I want you to be safe. I promised I would protect you. Let me protect you." His eyes pleaded with her. His expression softened as he leaned down to kiss her once more. "I'll set up an alarm to notify you when someone is about to enter."

"Thank you," she whispered back into his lips. They were enjoying each other when Relena's stomach growled.

"Did you skip lunch again?" he gently asked.

Relena blushed, knowing that he had lectured her about missing meals in the past. "Yes, I guess I just got caught up in what I was doing."

With a quick peck on her forehead, Heero suggested, "How about I go get us some sandwiches for lunch?"

Her stomach growled again in response. Lightly laughing, she said, "That sounds good."

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Heero said.

True to his word, he was back with their lunch in less than 10 minutes. He handed her a turkey lettuce wrap and retrieved his swiss steak sandwich. They talked about their day so far while enjoying their food and each other's company.

Throwing away the wrapper, Relena said, "Thanks again for lunch. We should do this again."

"I'll plan on it. Otherwise you might forget," Heero's eyes glimmered.

He was teasing her again and she loved it. And she knew that he knew that she loved it. And it made her smile all the more.

"I'll see you later. I have a meeting to get to." Heero stood and left her sitting there in complete awe of him yet again.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

Heero arrived at Sally's office at 1:00 sharp. Taking a seat across from her, he folded his hands in his lap. "Well, what are the results?"

"Always right to it, huh?" Sally thumbed through some papers searching for his test results. Finding the right patient, she handed the report to him and waited.

He quickly scanned the paper and crumpled it.

"I'm so sorry, Heero," Sally said genuinely upset. He had gone through so much already.

Looking back up at her, he asked, "Is there any way to reverse this?"

"Unfortunately, there isn't. If you would like to have kids in the future, you may want to consider adopting or a donor."

Heero shuddered at the idea of Relena having another man's genetic material inside of her. He could never allow that to happen. Adoption… it was an option like Sally said but would Relena want that? His mind raced through various scenarios as he sat there quietly.

"Heero, I know this isn't the news you were hoping for but this in no way makes you a lesser man. Relena loves you. She loves you so much. Don't beat yourself up too much," Sally said.

He slowly nodded and tossed the paper back at her. "Shred it."

"Of course," Sally said as she unwadded the paper.

Heero left without saying another word, frustrated, annoyed, and pissed off. His life had been chosen for him. He didn't get a say in what he wanted. He was trained to be a soldier. Nothing more, nothing less. His hands fisted at his sides as he charged towards the men's locker room. He needed to clear his head and burn off some steam. He could feel his blood pressure rising by the second and that would not do. He was the perfect soldier after all. He had to regain control.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

It was all too easy. Mindless. Calming even. Bullet after bullet hit their target with precision. Magazine empty. Reload. Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Magazine empty. Reload. Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Screams of dying soldiers filled his mind. He felt nothing.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Aim. Fire. Repeat.

Mobile suits exploded before him. He still felt nothing.

Aim. Fire. Repeat. Magazine empty. Reload. Aim. Fire. Repeat. Over and over and over again.

He was born and raised to be a killer.

He was a soldier.

He was the perfect soldier.

"_Heero! I want you to make me a promise!"_ Her face flashed in front of his eyes and his finger stilled on the trigger. _Relena…_

"_I no longer have to kill anyone… I don't have to anymore." _Her warm embrace surrounded him.

His fingers loosened on the trigger.

"Heero?" she asked in her calm and concerned voice.

"Heero?"

He blinked. All targets had been eliminated. His chest heaved and sweat beaded on his forehead. He switched the safety on.

_Relena...Relena..._

He set the gun down.

He ripped off his ear muff protection.

He placed both hands on the counter.

He closed his eyes.

"_I love you, Heero."_ Her face. Her smile. She was all he saw.

_I am loved._

And that's all that matters.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

Hours flew by as Relena vigorously worked on writing proposals, catching up on correspondence, and garnering more support for the Mars Terraformation Project and her new mission… making Mars the next Foreign Territory. She told Karen to hold all calls for the afternoon so she could focus and actually be productive. There was no time for idol chit chat and certainly no time to go into details about what actually happened. There was work to be done and she was determined to make a dent in her workload. Albeit, a drop in the ocean.

A ding interrupted her thoughts. "What was that?" she asked herself. She looked up just in time to see Heero opening her door.

"Good. It worked," he said as he strode over to a chair in front of her desk.

"How...? When did you…?" Relena had so many questions but waved them off. "Nevermind. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes, wrap up what you're doing. I'm taking you to dinner, remember?" Heero casually said.

"Oh," Relena blinked back at him.

"You didn't forget about our date, did you?" Heero's intense Prussian blue orbs searched her.

"No! No, of course not! I just… I just didn't realize it was already so late. That's all," Relena stammered as her cheeks burned from embarrassment. She glanced away to avoid eye contact but he was already closing the distance between them. She felt him tilt her head up, her eyes fixating on the top button of his shirt but like a magnet her eyes were drawn to his. His eyes flickered with so many emotions. Too many and too quickly for her to decipher the look. He took her breath away when his mouth enveloped her in a passionate kiss. In the background of her mind, she heard her computer being turned off but she didn't think anything of it. All she wanted was for him to keep exploring her mouth as he occasionally nibbled on her lower lip. She arched her back to give him more access. Gladly hooking an arm around her, he pulled her to her feet and slowly began walking her backwards until she was pressed up against the wall. His hands, that had been secured on her waist, holding her steady, had left her, but his lips had not. She was so lost in their kiss that she didn't even realize he had put on her sweater until he broke away from her.

Breathless, she panted, "What?" She looked down at her shoulders at the familiar clothing, then around him to see her computer had been shut off, and back at his smirking face and his open hand reaching out to her.

"Let's go," he said in a commanding yet pleading way.

She couldn't refuse him. Although, she still had so much work to do. It was an easy decision, despite his role in coercing her in this particular instance. She would rather spend time with Heero right now than do anything else. Taking his hand, she allowed him to whisk her away.

Heero took her to his favorite hole in the wall Japanese restaurant. It was located in a dark alleyway in the outskirts of Brussels, where shady people lurked in the shadows. She would have been terrified if she hadn't been with him. His protective arm was wrapped around her shoulder like armor. There were only 4 barstools in the place but the food was absolutely delicious. Hearing him order their food in perfect Japanese was so sexy. She couldn't recall him speaking any other language than English but he informed her that he was fluent in both Japanese and English as well as all things electronic. They eat, they laughed, and they drank. They had a wonderful time and she wished the night would never end. Heero drove her home and escorted her to her room where she began to peel his clothes off as well as her own. She wanted to thank him for the wonderful date night but Heero seemed to pull away or reject her advances. Confused, she asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired," he gave her a half smile.

"Are you sure? Did I do something?" she asked anxiously twisting her hands in front of her.

He embraced her tightly and kissed the crown of her head. "No, you didn't do anything. It's just been a long day and I promised Sally that I would make sure you get your rest."

She peeled herself back to look at the man she had loved for so long and searched his eyes. Something was wrong. She knew it. He had put his armor back on. His expression lacked emotion. He was hiding something, but what? She forced a smile and pulled away as she tried to think about what had happened. _What's wrong, Heero? Why won't you tell me?_ Despite her reservations about what was happening, she was glad to fall asleep in his arms.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

The next few days passed by in a blur, it was truly back to business as usual. Relena was inundated with political appointments and meetings while Heero was busy working on updating the Preventer security network.

Later in the week, Heero escorted Relena to a charity event for war-orphaned children. He had once been orphaned, only to be found and taught to pilot a Gundam. As he watched the kids run around the playground, he couldn't help but wonder what these kids would become. A flash of long blonde hair peaked out from a tunnel. He smiled and immediately felt glad. He was thankful that while these children didn't have parents, they had Relena. She gave them hope for a bright future, one without war. None of them would have to grow up like he did... witnessing the horrors mankind could exact. A sense of peace over him knowing that not one of these young souls would ever have to fight. Her laughter and smile brought him out of the darkness and into the light. Seeing her play with them, he silently thought how great she would be as a mother. He knew she wanted children from their brief conversation in the car on the ride over. His mind replayed her words over and over, like a broken record. "Oh, I just love kids! In the future, I hope to have some of my own."

"Some of my own."

"Some of my own."

_What did that mean?_, he wondered. _Did she want to have her own biological children? To be pregnant? Would she even be okay with adopting?_

"Oh, I just love kids! In the future, I hope to have some of my own."

Her ponytail bounced as she came jogging up to him. She looked absolutely adorable in her jeans and casual navy blue jacket. He just wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her senseless, but he was on duty. Briefly looking away he scanned the perimeter for any danger. _Clear_. He glanced over to her as she watched the children dart from one playground set to the other.

"Relena… I need to talk to you," he said in a hushed tone, hoping to get her attention. They were supposed to leave 20 minutes ago, but she had insisted on staying longer to play with the kids.

She was just about to ask him something but she was interrupted by a bunch of kids who wanted her to play tag. While they pulled her away, she turned back and sent him an apologetic smile and promised, "Let's talk later."

That evening, Heero took Relena out for a romantic dinner to her favorite Italian restaurant. They were enjoying each other's company and their food when Relena suddenly remembered that he wanted to talk to her earlier. "Oh, Heero! What was it that you wanted to speak about earlier today? I'm so sorry. I got pulled away," she laughed as she lifted her wine glass to take another drink.

"That's alright. It looked like you were having fun," he replied, trying to think of how to broach the subject of children and his inability to give her any.

"Yes, it was so much fun. Those kids were so happy despite everything that had been through. It was remarkable really. But we've talked enough about all that. Tell me what you've been thinking," Relena smiled at him.

"Well, I'd like to talk about the future," he said quietly. "Our future. I wanted to talk to you about..."

Relena cut him off. "Heero, I know you've probably been thinking this for awhile, for security purposes, but I think you should move in with me. It's silly having you go back and forth to your apartment when you're practically always with me anyways."

Heero completely agreed with her but that wasn't exactly what he wanted to talk about. "Yes, I did want to bring that up with you but…" Before he could finish, Relena cut him off again.

"Then, it's settled! You'll move in as soon as possible! I can have Karen arrange movers for you," Relena replied cheerfully.

"That won't be necessary. My apartment was furnished when I moved in and I don't have many personal belongings," Heero replied dryly. This conversation wasn't going how he wanted it to but he had also wanted to discuss their living arrangements, especially when he had been spending the night with her since they had returned to Brussels. He had somehow overlooked this particular conversation when his test results hung over him. Naturally, he should move in with her, marry her and then have kids, but she needed to know. She deserved to know that he was unable to produce children before they even broached the subject of marriage. Frustrated and unsure of what to do, he just focused on the topic at hand. He wanted to live with her and it made sense for him to move in due to security, but a part of him questioned whether or not he should continue this relationship, knowing that she wants children and that he would never be able to give her what she wants. _She deserves better. She deserves someone who can give her everything she's ever wanted._

On the ride home, Relena asked if Heero would like to make some changes to her, no their, penthouse. He said it wasn't necessary, but he appreciated her sentiment of trying to make it his home as well. He couldn't order new furniture or rearrange her home when she would probably kick him out when she found out. Grasping onto the wheel more tightly, he tried to think of anything besides her, but that was becoming increasingly difficult as she rubbed his cock.

"I want you in my mouth," she purred.

"Relena… I'm driving," he growled.

"So…" She undid his pants and reached inside to cup his pulsing erection. "That's never stopped us before."

"Relena…" he looked over at her lust filled eyes. _Oh to hell with protocol!_ He lifted his hips and pulled his pants and boxer briefs down. When he felt her warm tongue greet his tip, he felt like coming right then and there. Her wet mouth took in his entire length in one motion and back up to suck on him. _God, that feels so good._ He selfishly let her finish him off. As he came, he thought about all of the blanks he was shooting. _She deserves better._

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

The next day after his official shift had finished, Heero found himself on the rooftop of the Preventer Headquarters thinking about his future. Something he thought about quite frequently now. He whipped out his gun and aimed at the footsteps closing in from behind. Trowa raised his hands in surrender but carried a beer in each hand as he walked towards his fellow comrade. Heero lowered his weapon and secured it in the harness. Trowa handed him a beer and leaned over the railing of the high rise building. The two of them stood in silence for several minutes while taking a few drinks.

Trowa was the first to break the silence. "How are things with Relena?"

"I love her," Heero replied.

Trowa's eyes widened for a split second at the perfect soldier's admission. "I see. She's one lucky woman."

Heero's head dropped as he spoke, "I don't know about that. I can't give her what she wants."

Confused and curious, Trowa looked over at his downtrodden friend and asked, "does she love you?"

"Yes, she says so anyway. But I don't think she will when she finds out I can't give her children." Heero looked up at the cityscape.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I can't have kids either," Trowa took a long swig of his beer.

Heero glanced over at Trowa. "You too, huh? Sorry..." He wasn't sure what else to say so he just took a swig of his beer.

Trowa shrugged. "I've never envisioned myself settling down with one woman and having kids anyway. I'm a traveling clown and occasionally do contract work for Preventers. A wife and kid deserve to have someone who would be there for them. That's just not something I can give." He took another drink and added, "you two are perfect for each other. Anyone who knows you two can see that. Don't let your fears get in the way of your happiness. Someone once told me the only way to live a good life is to act on your emotions." Trowa smiled at him and raised his bottle.

Heero returned the smile and clinked his glass against Trowa's. "I guess you're right."

They finished their beers in silence.

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

Heero spent the remainder of the night mulling over his friend's advice as he punched the boxing bag over and over. Sweat ran freely down the sides of his face and into his eyes. His clothes were drenched from his rigorous workout routine. He needed to get back to her place and make sure she was safe. Glancing at his phone for the hundredth time, there were no new notifications. If something happened, he would hear about it first but there was nothing except for the sound of silence. She was safe. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to be with her. He mentally punched himself for it. _If Duo were here, he would probably laugh at me and just tell me to go see her._ "It's obvious that you miss her." His best friend's words echoed through his mind. _Miss her? Is this how it feels to miss someone?_ He glanced at his phone again. _Does she miss me too?_

"Just give her a call! Or better yet go see her!" He could hear Duo yell even now. _Fuck it!_ Heero ripped off his gloves and tossed them to the side. Wiping off his hands, he picked up his phone and dialed her number. It rang once, twice, three times. He was just about to hang up when she answered. Her sweet voice was a balm to his tormented soul.

"Hi Heero!" Relena greeted him cheerfully while wondering why he was calling. He never called.

"Hey."

"What are you up to?" she asked.

"I just finished working out," he replied. _Damn it! Why did I call?! I don't even know what to say._

"Oh yeah? That's good. I think I need to start working out to help reduce my stress level," she said.

He was thankful that she was an excellent conversationalist. "Yes, that's a good idea. I can help you design a workout plan."

"Would you?! Oh that would be wonderful! Thank you!"

He smiled and then asked if he could come over in a little bit.

"Of course you can! It's your home too now. That is if you want it to move in."

"Alright. I'll be there in 20," Heero disconnected the phone and headed to the locker room to shower.

When he arrived at her place, he felt nervous. He was afraid of how she would react and what she would say. But he was terrified of losing her. He had become accustomed to her, being with her, sleeping with her, loving her. But this mission was inevitable and one that he sincerely hoped would go well. He took a deep breath and went for it.

For once in his life, he knocked and waited for her to let him in. It only took a split second for her to open the door. She smiled at him, her eyes dancing with something he couldn't quite place. In a flash of an eye, she jumped him, wrapping her arms and legs around him. Thankfully, he had lightning fast reflexes and easily caught her. She squeezed him tight as she buried her neck into the crook of his shoulder.

"I missed you," she whispered.

Heero held her closer still and kissed her cheek. "I missed you, too." _What did I just say?_ The words seemed foreign to him as they left his mouth but they felt right.

_Did he just say…?_ Relena lifted her head and smiled at him before crushing her lips to his. Heero kissed her back as he walked them inside and kicked the door closed with his heel. He carried her over to the couch and slowly lowered her down against the cushions, propping himself up on his elbows to hover above her. Their lips met and the world seemed to fade away into the background. After several minutes, maybe even a half an hour, Heero sat up while looking at his golden goddess. Her stomach had been growling and so was his. They needed to eat something. He would have been happy just to eat her out but, he knew she needed something that would sustain her through the night. Otherwise she would get very hangry, as Duo often referred to an angry state of hungry. Thankfully, he had learned to carry about snacks with him at all times just in case.

"Let's go out for dinner, Heero."

"Are you sure? You had a long and stressful day at work," Heero eyed her cautiously.

"That's precisely why I want to go out," Relena quickly replied back.

He nodded, "Alright. What would you like?"

"How about that Steakhouse you like?"

"I'll make us a reservation." He got off the couch and helped her to her feet. She rose up on her tippy toes and gave him a quick kiss before running to her room to get ready.

She took the quickest shower she had ever taken, and was ever so careful not to get her hair wet. She didn't have time to blow dry it tonight. Walking into her closet, she pursued her dresses and immediately found the perfect one. It was a red hot dress that would be sure to test the perfect soldier's resolve. Relena giggled to herself as she slipped into the bright sleeveless number that hugged her body in all the right places. Brushing her hair to one shoulder, she checked herself out in the mirror one last time. _Perfect._

Heero, who had changed into black trousers and a blue shirt that matched his eyes, waited for Relena to finish getting ready. He turned around when he heard the door open. His mouth parted slightly as he drank her in. She blushed and bashfully looked away. His feet somehow moved of their own accord towards her. She smiled and he stared. She was… she was… absolutely the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

"Relena… you're breathtaking," his lips whispered among her golden locks.

Her eyes sparkled when she smiled. "Thank you," she quietly replied. "I thought you would like it."

He smirked and the hungry look in his eyes excited her in a way that made her momentarily forget what they were doing and where they were going. Thankfully, he took her hand in his and led her to the elevator.

The doors closed and Heero had to use every ounce of restraint not to pick her up and shove her against the wall and fuck her. His heart raced as he tried to think about anything besides sex. _She deserves better. She's not a toy or plaything. _Mentally chiding himself didn't work. Her allure was all too powerful and he was completely under her spell. When the door opened, he released a breath, even he didn't know he had been holding.

"Thanks for taking me to dinner again," she said as they stepped out of the elevator. She spun around and walked backwards in front of him. "I could get used to this, you know." Her playful tone made him smile. Wrapping his arm around her, he spun her back around and escorted her to the car with his hand on the small of her back. "You're welcome. You know I'd do anything to make you happy," he replied.

"I know. And you make me so happy, Heero."

Heero tried not to think about the conversation that they hadn't had yet, but he hated knowing that he would soon be the cause of her unhappiness. _She deserves better_, he kept thinking.

Somehow, Heero couldn't or rather didn't muster the courage to talk to Relena during dinner. It was just so perfect being with her. He just couldn't find the right moment. Again. He didn't want to ruin their date. Their night. Or their relationship for that matter. _Damn it. How am I going to tell her?! _

Heero opened the door for Relena to get into the car. Once she was secured inside the vehicle, he jogged over to his side and hopped in, slamming the door a little too hard.

"Anything wrong?" Relena asked.

Heero took a deep breath as he started the car. His hands clenched the steering wheel so tightly that he was beginning to lose feelings in his fingertips._ I have to tell her. _When he didn't answer, he felt her hand rest lightly on his shoulder.

"Heero?"

Slowly, he looked over at her. His expression wasn't one Relena had seen before. With each passing second, she became increasingly worried. "Heero… what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything." She saw him swallow and try to control whatever storm was raging within him. It unnerved her. She had never seen him like this. So vulnerable. So embattled. So… hurt…

"Please tell me," she said in a gentle voice.

"Relena… I can't…" he replied and looked away from her once more. He turned another corner and accelerated.

"You can't what?"

At a red light, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "Relena… I… I don't even know where to start." His head tilted towards hers.

Her heart was racing as she waited for him to elaborate. _What is he trying to say? What's wrong, Heero? Why won't you tell me?_ All she could say was his name. "Heero…"

Sitting back against his chair, he swallowed and took a deep breath again. "I can't have children." The light turned green and he sped down the street. They were just a couple of minutes away from her place.

"What?" Relena wasn't sure she heard him correctly.

Heero looked over at her with an unreadable expression. "I can't have children," he repeated.

She sat there for a moment processing what he had said and tried to think of a response that wouldn't hurt him. "Heero, may I ask how you know? And why you can't have children?"

His eyes focused on the road as he spoke. "Dr. J told me before I was deployed for Operation Meteor that I was sterile. I had a test earlier this week to confirm whether that was true or not. Unfortunately, the results proved what Dr. J said was indeed a fact," he said without any hint of emotion in his voice.

Her eyes were rimmed with tears. "Oh, Heero, I'm so sorry… I don't… I don't even know what to say. You've gone through so much. You've experienced horrors that I can't even imagine," Relena's voice cracked as a tear slipped down her cheek. She reached for him but he pulled away.

He heard what she said but he didn't reply until he had parked and turned off the vehicle. "You deserve someone who can give you children and the life you want. The life you deserve to have. I can't give you that." Heero said looking out the window, unwilling to make eye contact with her. He couldn't look at her when she was crying. He hated when she cried. He had never been able to resist wiping her tears away, even when he had first met her.

"Heero, look at me," she pleaded.

He slowly turned towards her and was too shocked to avoid her hand. She slapped him, hard, across his cheek. Her chest heaved as tears streamed down her face. "Heero…" she choked out, "I love you. I will always love you. I don't want anyone else. All I've ever wanted was to be with you."

"Relena…"

"Shhh!" She put a finger over her lips and kissed him hard. "I love you… nothing else matters as long as I'm with you."

"Relena, I can't have children!" Heero yelled at her.

"That doesn't matter to me. I love you and I want to be with you," Relena snapped back.

"But you want kids! I can't give you a family!"

"Yes, I want kids but that's several years away. And I would be happy to adopt. I've always wanted to adopt actually so it wouldn't matter whether we had biological children or not. You saw those orphans earlier this week. They need love just as much as anyone else."

"Relena, you're not listening to me!"

"No! You're the one not listening! I love you, Heero Yuy, despite everything you have been through and all that you have done. Your past doesn't define you and I certainly won't let it define us."

Heero clamped his mouth shut. She was always so damn stubborn.

Relena wrung her hands in her lap nervously. "I actually wanted to talk with you about going on birth control. Sally and I briefly talked about it during my appointment." Her cheeks were as red as her dress. "I wasn't sure when we might… you know." She looked up at him, searching for some sort of affirmation.

Heero just blinked and sat staring at her, his thought process now stuck on one thing and one thing only. Sex.

"Heero, I love you with all my heart." She took his hand and brought it up to cup her face. Holding his palm against her cheek, she nuzzled against it then continued, "I love you and I want to be with you regardless of whether or not you can have children."

"I love you, too."

"Then why don't you want me?" Another tear fell.

"I do want you," he replied.

"Then stop running away. Love me, Heero. Mind, body, and soul."

"I do love you, Relena." He cupped her delicate face in his hands and crushed his lips against hers. "I love you so much," he whispered into her lips, his heart racing wildly with love and desire.

He pulled her onto his lap, continuing to show just how much he loved her. His hands fisted themselves in her hair as his tongue explored her mouth. Her hands made their way up his arms to his unruly chocolate hair, effectively locking one another in a searing kiss.

His hips thrust up to meet her increasingly wet center and she grinded back. The friction was unbearable. Relena tore her lips away from his and breathed out, "I want you…" Lustful eyes met each other before their mouths collided once again, more frenzied and heated than earlier. Heero popped open his door while kissing her. With exact precision he held onto her and somehow managed to get out of the car without toppling over. Blindly, he navigated the stairs up to the door. For leverage he pushed her up against the wall and trailed kisses down her neck while searching for the keys. Relena let out a moan of pleasure when he slipped the key into the lock.

To Be Continued… ;)

01000101 01101101 01101111 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011

**Author's Note:**

What did you think of Heero and his feelings of inadequacy? He always holds Relena up on a pedestal as if she is a goddess. He doesn't think he deserves her and that has been and will continue to be an ongoing battle for our perfect soldier. Sorry to leave you all wanting for more (not really...hehe) but I promise the wait is SO WORTH IT! The next chapter is already done and it's over 6,000 words of pure lemony smut. Be sure to review! :) Special thank you to pokemonsoicgirl123, Ninjette Twitch, Revy679, and JenJenGundamFan for reviewing last chapter. Your words keeping me writing!

Shout out to my awesome GW friend, Revy679 for beta reading this chapter. You are the #WordGoddess! Thanks for making my work better! And thanks ever so much to JenJenGundamFan for reading along as I wrote this chapter.


	14. Just Communication

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Gundam Wing and I don't make any moola from writing fanfics. I write these stories just for fun.

**Author's Note: **The moment we've all been waiting for… Enjoy! ;)

**Chapter 14: Just Communication**

Heero had barely opened the door before Relena was all over him again, kissing him furiously tearing at his clothes. If he had been a lesser man, he would have fallen over. He backed her against the entryway wall, effortlessly lifting Relena up as he simultaneously pushed her skirts upwards. Her legs and arms wrapped around him for both support and pleasure as he ravished her neck.

His lips hovered over hers. His breath was hot and heavy with desire. "Relena…" he seductively whispered. "I want you."

His words fueled the flame already burning within her. "I want you, too…" she said pressing her hips against his arousal.

He growled into her neck and lightly bit that particular spot that made her go wild with desire. He wanted her so bad. He had waited a lifetime for this moment. His cock throbbed inside his tightening boxer briefs and pants.

She moaned his name in response to his sweet torture. "Please…" she begged. Her entire being craved him. She needed him. In her. Now!

"Pleaseeee, Heero. I need you."

He would not deny her what she wanted. He could not. This was more than just mere sex to him. This was more…so much more. He needed her. Totally and completely. After she was shot, he had come to realize that he loved her. Looking back, he always had. It was fate that brought them together. Their lives had been forever intertwined with one another for a long time but he had just caught on. It all made sense now. This… being with her… it felt right. So right. So incredibly good. She was everything to him. And he wanted to show her how much he loved her in this very moment with his body. He didn't have anything except himself, it was all that he had to offer her.

"As you wish."

He carried his princess up to their bedroom and laid her on the king size bed, accidentally knocking off her treasured teddy bear he gave her for her 16th birthday. She was no longer the innocent and naive girl he had first met on the beach. She was an extremely gorgeous, stubborn young woman with a head full of revolutionary ideas and a heart overflowing with love and compassion. There were so many reasons he loved her. He smiled down at her and thought of all the ways he wanted to love her tonight. Kicking off his shoes, he crawled onto the bed, hovering above her so his unruly hair tickled her face. His hands roamed her still fully clothed body, massaging her breasts and kissing the exposed skin of her cleavage. He tugged the sweetheart neckline down further to reveal more of her bosom. The dress had to go.

Relena let out a whine-like moan; she was tired of waiting. She desperately needed him so she decidedly take things into her own hands literally... She ran a hand down over his arousal and cupped him. The sound that came from her lover was absolutely delicious. While she unbuckled his belt and fiddled with his button, Heero sat up to remove his red silk tie, white dress shirt and undershirt. Once she had successfully unzipped his pants, he got off the bed. She was expecting him to rid himself of the hidderance but instead he surprised her by grabbing both of her ankles and pulling her to the edge of the bed. Relena gasped as he did so and again when he reached underneath her skirts and found her center. She watched the corner of his mouth tug up just as she felt him run a finger along the outside of her underwear.

"You're soaking wet," he said as he continued to toy with her, ever so slightly pushing the fabric in between her folds to find her bundle of nerves. He knew he had found the right spot when her legs spasmed and parted like the Red Sea.

"Heerooooo," she begged again. She needed him to be inside of her. She wanted him so badly. He was driving her crazy. How he loved to tease her.

"Shhh." He went kissed her ankles as he undid the straps to her high heels and threw them behind him. Then he dove underneath her dress, navigating through the waves of crimson fabric. Heero kissed his way from her inner ankle to her knee to her thigh and finally her covered entrance. He breathed in her intoxicating scent, his nose gently rubbing against her rosebud as he did so, causing her to cry out in pleasure. He smiled against her increasingly wet undergarment before he kissed her there. He licked his lips to get a little taste of her. His mouth watered in anticipation. Heero couldn't hold himself back anymore so he strategically removed her lacy lingerie with his teeth, causing his woman to writhe and wiggle as he slid them down her creamy legs. When he got mid-thigh, he pushed her skirts up and over his head. She gathered the poofy layers of fabric in her hands and watched him pull the thin lingerie all the way down her legs and off of her feet. Opening his mouth, he let it fall freely to the hardfloor below. She sat up, her face flushed in a breathtaking deep pink hue as she tried to catch her breath. She could not tear her eyes away from the Adonis of a man who stood before her. He looked like a wild animal ready to devour her. And how she wanted him too!

He approached her hungrily running a hand along her inner thigh to her womanhood while simultaneously capturing her inviting lips and finding the zipper with his other hand. His ability to multitask was nothing short of superhuman. He was the Perfect Soldier after all.

Her hands clung to his ripped shoulders for support as he had his way with her. He was driving her insane. Heero further tantalized her by running lazy circles around her clit, stopping briefly to pull down the zipper found in the middle of the back of her ball gown. He slid a cool hand underneath the parted fabric along her newly exposed flesh. Her porcelain skin felt so smooth and hot under his touch. He enjoyed feeling her skin pebble as he began teasing her entrance once more.

Relena couldn't take it any longer, she pushed him backwards, letting herself slide off the bed, she stood while holding up her gown with one arm. Then she slowly shimmed out of it. Heero just stared at her, completely frozen in place just a few feet in front of her, drinking in the sight of the beauty before him. She was perfect in every sense of the word. She made him feel things he never imagined he could. It was amazing how she could make his body… particularly his member react in such a way. He felt his cock twitch within his confinement.

Now that she was completely bare, she suddenly felt nervous about losing her virginity, but her heart fluttered in excitement at the thought of him being within her. She went to him and easily pulled down his already unbuttoned pants. The fabric pooled around his ankles but his manhood was still tucked away inside his boxer briefs. Relena looked from his piercing blue eyes to his cock. There was a small wet spot, about the size of a quarter, just above the tip of his dick. Tracing a finger from his balls up to the head of his soldier, she licked her lips and moaned. He wasn't the only one good at teasing.

She worked his underwear down until they fell. Heero stepped out of them and flung them away with a quick kick of his heel. He made his dress socks disappear even faster. Their bodies and lips reconnected. Heero pulled her close to him, enjoying how she perfectly fit in his arms. There was no denying that she was made for him... and he for her. He scooped her into his arms and took her back to bed.

She wrapped her fingers around his velvet covered steel and stroked him. It felt so good but he stopped her movements when he gently pulled her hand away. He secured both of her hands above her head with one of his own and whispered, "let me love you." His lips found hers while he fondled her breasts and pinched her perfect pink nipples with one hand. His calloused fingertips traced invisible lines between her breasts, down her abdomen, around her belly button, and to her honeypot.

Using a knee he wedged himself between her legs and parted her so he could see everything she had to offer him. Clear nectar trickled out of her small entrance down to her ass. He just had to have a taste, so he did. Holding her legs apart, he indulged himself by lapping up her essence. His tongue did not penetrate her like it usually did and he could tell from the way she arched her back that she wanted him to. It was hard to deny her or himself of this pleasure but he wanted his dick to be the first thing that would penetrate her tight channel tonight. Another moan escaped her lips. _Almost there_, he thought to himself. Her entire body shuddered when he licked circles over her small love nub between her folds. Throwing her head back, she screamed his name as pleasure coursed through her veins. When he had finished drinking her sweet elixor, he loved her by taking his time to kiss every square inch of her gorgeous body.

His fingertips lightly ran over her side, sending a rippling desire throughout her entire body. Her hips slightly lifted off the bed to brush against his. Her mouth and pussy watered in anticipation when she felt his cock graze her abdomen. Relena could not bare the teasing any longer. She didn't want to wait anymore. All she wanted was him. To be his completely. To be possessed by him and no one else.

"Make me yours." She pleaded in a sexy low growl full of desire.

The corner of Heero's lips curved upward as he leaned down to capture hers but he stopped to ask, "Are you sure?" He whispered above her lips, his eyes searching hers for permission.

Her beautiful ocean blue orbs twinkled as she nodded up at him. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

"Relena…" he growled as he positioned himself outside of her entrance. He looked to her eyes that were eagerly awaiting him to claim her once and for all. Wetting his tip in her dripping folds, he began entering her. He could feel her legs stiffen as his head entered her tight opening. In an effort to comfort her, he gingerly ran his hands over her thighs. He pushed in a little more and felt resistance. This was it. The moment he… no, the moment that _they_ had been waiting for. His eyes locked with hers as he thrust himself into her, tearing through her virgin barrier. Relena's eyes clamped shut and her face contorted in pain as she loudly cried out at the intrusion.

He pulled out slightly, not completely withdrawing from her, just enough to let her adjust to his enormous member. He glanced down and smirked. The evidence of her virginity stained his cock in a liquid crimson. He had never been proud of the blood he had spilt but he took pride in being her first. Her only. Her last. He claimed her. She was all his. Now and forever. He greatly enjoyed taking her virginity as he loved giving her his. He had nothing... but now that he had her... he had everything and so much more.

He thrust back inside of her, a little deeper this time. Relena let out another gasp as he leaned forward and covered her mouth with his. He tried to distract her with his talented tongue as he carved into her, one thrust at a time. Feeling her velvet walls begin to relax, he began to pick up his pace.

Due to his lack of experience, he slipped out a few times. Despite the initial awkwardness of his uncharacteristic clumsiness, it was oddly refreshing to both of them. It reminded him that he was indeed human and reminded her that this wasn't just her first time but was his first as well.

Not having done this before, naturally it took some time for him to find what worked best and what pleased Relena the most by experimenting with different angles, speeds and forcefulness. He was so attentive to her, carefully watching and listening to how she reacted to what he tried. Relena encouraged him with adorable breathy noises and long sexy moans.

Pleasure quickly overcame pain as Relena began to moan and beg him for more. More than willing, he obliged her desire by adjusting her hips and legs so he could penetrate her deeper. Her nails dug into his shoulders as he pounded into her. She was like soft putty in his hands and he a potter, molding her to his exact specifications. As they made love, they gave all of themselves - mind, body and soul - to each other.

Relena reached her climax first when Heero stimulated her clit by brushing his thumb over it as he made love to her. He would never forget the way her back arched and how her toes curled as she let out a euphoric scream. "HEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOO!"

Heero sped up his pace and pounded deep into her, releasing his empty seed within her. "LENAAAA!" He screamed into the crook of her neck.

His arms shook violently as he struggled to maintain his balance above her as he recovered from his orgasm. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist and pulled him down on top of her. He stopped himself from collapsing onto her chest by propping himself on his elbows. Unfortunately, he pulled her hair which caused her to yelp in pain.

"Sorry!" He quickly apologized and shifted his weight onto one side as she twisted and tucked her long locks behind her head so her hair was out of the way.

"It's okay." She lightly laughed as her eyes fluttered up to his. "Kiss me."

He smiled as he repositioned himself so he was propped up on his forearms next to her head. Leaning down, his nose tickled hers, their mouths were both slightly open, lingering in anticipation of connecting their swollen lips once more. With a few open mouthed kisses, which quickly deepened into a fiery passionate kiss.

"Relena…" His fingers traced her hairline. She lost herself staring into his Prussian blue orbs that sparkled like the night sky. "Relena… I love you." He kissed her slowly. "More than anything or anyone else. I love you with all that I am."

"Oh Heero… I love you too."

Their lips connected for the thousandth time. He pressed his hips against her wet center, allowing her to feel his desire for her.

"I want you…" He breathed into her ear, kissing and nibbling on it.

"Then take me." Her breathing became more rapid with each second that passed.

"Are you sure? It doesn't hurt, does it?" He looked into her eyes, filled with concern.

She placed her hands on either side of his face and looked directly at him. "Fuck me, Heero Yuy."

His eyes widened at her use of a curse word but his facial expression quickly shifted to one of determination and lust. "As you wish."

When he reentered her, Heero could have sworn he saw stars. The sensation of her sheathing his sword was heaven on earth. They fit together like a lock and key. The slap of their bodies meeting again and again was intoxicating. They couldn't get enough of each other.

Heero slowed his pace and abruptly removed himself from her wet cavern. Laying a hand on the side of her hip, he began to roll her onto her side. He settled next to her on their bed, her back to his chest. Lifting one of her legs, he rubbed the tip of his dick along her dripping wet folds and infiltrated her from behind. Again, it took some time and effort but they quickly found their rhythm. Relena ended up resting her leg on top of his to avoid getting a cramp while her hands buried themselves into the bedsheets trying to stay in the same place as Heero slammed into her repeatedly. Heero was propped up on one side and used his free hand to explore her body as he fucked her. He first pinched and pulled at her nipples before making his way down to her rosebud. The swirling motion he used was just about to make her come when she yanked his hand away and said, "stop".

Heero immediately stopped, pulled out and looked at her, his eyes flickered with confusion and concern. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. Not at all. It feels amazing." She rolled over to face him. "I… I just want to try something." She smiled shyly as she slowly pushed him to lay on his back. When she lifted her knee, Heero thought, _Oh God, yes_. He had imagined her doing this for a long time now and he could barely believe that it was actually happening. He placed his hands on her thighs and looked up at her straddling him. He could have come just from the sight of her. She was a goddess. His goddess.

She leaned forward and lifted herself up just enough so she hovered above his impressive cock. Looking to him for assistance, Relena separated her folds with two fingers while he took hold of his dick and positioned himself right outside of her entrance. He barely thrust his tip inside of her as she came down on him. Grabbing her hips, he pushed her down on him as he thrust up, causing Relena to cry out in ecstasy. _God, it feels so good_, she thought to herself as she rode him. He met her hips, thrust for thrust. Gaining confidence she placed a hand on his chest and told him, "don't move." She leaned down to kiss him. When they came up for air, she said, "let me show you how much I love you." With a quick kiss, she readjusted herself so her knees were now up. Her feet were the only thing touching the bed as she began to ride him as if she was a jockey and he was her stallion.

Heero's eyes rolled back into his brain when she sheathed him completely on her own. The sex had been amazing, but this… this was even better somehow. Her pussy sucked on his cock as she rode him. Her angelic voice brought him back to his senses… somewhat.

"Touch me, Heero." She said panting heavily.

He did what he was told and obliged her wish by gingerly running his hands along her thighs up to her waist while admiring how her breasts bounced freely in front of him. This was the greatest show he'd ever seen. She began fucking him harder and faster.

"Play with my boobs," she commanded.

He didn't need to be told again. His hands claimed her twin peaks and massaged them. Only a few minutes later, she slammed down on him and froze as her inner walls caved all around him. Heero shuttered inside of her, filling his princess with all his love again.

When she got off her mount, Heero pulled her down onto his chiseled chest and into his warm embrace. They lay there content listening to each other's slowing heartbeats and breathing. As Relena adjusted herself to get more comfortable, the evidence of their love making flowed out of her and onto Heero's lower abdomen. Embarrassed, Relena jerked upright all the while looking for something, anything to clean him up. Heero sat up a little in order to reach his Princess.

"Come here," he said in his baritone voice as he pulled her arms away from her chest that she had automatically covered and wrapped his arms around her, securing her against his chest once more.

"Heero?"

"Hmm?"

She turned her head to look at him. "I had no idea sex would be this messy," she admitted.

Heero's chest rumbled beneath her as he laughed. "Yeah." His fingers softly traced the contours of her body while he thought about all the ways he wanted to make love to her. Enjoying the moment, he closed his eyes and smiled to himself while also eagerly awaiting the moment he could be inside her again.

Relena caught him smiling and couldn't help but wonder what was running through his mind, so she asked, "What are you thinking about?"

He cracked an eye open at her and said, "You."

"Me?" She questioned while smiling.

Heero rolled them over so that he was back on top. Smoothing her wild hair back, he looked down at her with loving eyes. While their kiss was slow, it was full of passion.

"Yes, you. I can't get you out of my head," he admitted.

"Really?" She was shocked at his admission but then again she could relate. "I can't stop thinking about you either."

The two star-crossed lovers lay together in each other's embrace, intermittently kissing and whispering sweet nothings.

Heero had never felt more alive and more importantly vulnerable than he did in that moment. He wanted her to have all of him, the good, the bad, everything that he was and all that he hoped to become. So he let down his guard and let her inside. She took up residence in his heart and there she would remain for the rest of his days.

Relena couldn't have been happier. All she had ever wanted was now hers. Once upon a time, being with him, being intimate with him was just a dream but now it was a reality. She snuggled into him, smiling while thinking about all of the things the future might have in store for them. If there was one person she wanted to do life with, it was him. It had always been him.

An undetermined amount of time had passed, even Heero did not know because he had been so focused on her. That had never happened to him before, but he was glad that she had the power to make him forget the military training that was forever imbedded in his brain. He shifted to look at the clock on the nightstand but they had knocked it off along with the lamp and a few books. _When did that happen? _Relena looked over to see what he was looking at and giggled. "I guess we were really going at it."

"Mhmm." He captured her swollen lips once more.

When he rose to look at his beautiful lover, their skin stuck to one another from the sweet mixture of sweat and the aftermath of their love making. They both laughed from the new sensation.

"I'll be right back." Heero got up and went into the bathroom. Relena couldn't tear her eyes away from him. His body was nothing short of magnificent. She loved looking at him in all his glory. His muscular back boasted scars from his heroic and wartorn past as well as red scratch marks from tonight's activities. She smiled remembering how those particular marks got there. And that ass… it was perfectly round and firm. All she wanted to do was grab it again as he thrust into her.

When Heero walked back, Relena was mesmerized by his flaccid penis bouncing back and forth. She had never seen a naked man walk before and she was completely entranced.

"See something you like?"

Relena felt her cheeks heat. She had been caught.

Smiling down at her knowingly, he cleaned himself, running one of the wet washcloths over his abs first before he washed his cock and balls. Her mouth watered as she watched him.

"Your turn," he said as he brought a different cloth to her. When the cool dampness touched her skin, her nipples hardened as she shivered under his touch. He was gentle as he wiped away the sticky residue from her. Parting her legs, he thoroughly washed away the blood and cum that stained her inner thighs and womanhood. Heero smirked as he rubbed her rosebud. Wanting to play with his lady love once more, he quickly discarded the cloth which had been easily forgotten. She moaned as he began to finger her. In and out. In and out again. Her hips began rising up to meet each one of his finger thrusts.

Her hard nipples brushed against his chest and reignited the fire within him. Cupping her breast, he teased her taut bud by gently pinching and rolling it between his forefinger and thumb while pulling ever so slightly. He felt her become even wetter as her velvet walls clamped down around his fingers.

Relena felt herself getting closer and closer to release due to his sweet torture but just as she felt herself begin to climax he withdrew his fingers to taste her nectar. She fisted her hands in his unruly hair above her and brought him down for a searing kiss as her hips lifted of their own accord to meet his. Feeling his hot member against her belly, all she could think of was being one with him again.

"Are you ready for another round?" His eyes danced as he asked.

She looked from his eyes to his lips and back. "God yes," she breathed into his lips. Their tongues met in a dance of their own, twirling, twisting, and tasting each other.

Now that they had finally had sex, he wanted to fuck her all over the house. Determined to christen every piece of furniture and surface, he mentally made a list of all the places they should try. His eye caught on a particular piece in the bedroom. He was glad for the closeness because he needed her. Now.

He stood and offered his hand to her which she gladly accepted, her curious eyes and tilted head questioned him silently as he led her across the room. Putting a hand on the small of her back, he guided her in front of him to the oversized chair in their room. He positioned her so she faced the padded arm of the chair. Kissing in between her shoulders, he wrapped his arms around her petite figure to fondle her breasts. Relena closed her eyes when his lips found that sweet spot on her neck and relaxed into his embrace.

"Bend over," he said as he used a hand to guide her downward so her torso was across the cushion but her feet still touched the floor. With a playful smack on her ass, he watched both of her holes tighten as fresh come dripped from her pussy. Using the natural lubricant to wet his head, he swiftly entered her and made love to her once again. This position gave him the ability to thrust deeper than he had ever gone before. He was careful to pay close attention to her and what she wanted. He wanted her to enjoy this as much if not more than he was. Once he asked her if he was hurting her when he noticed fresh blood around his cock and her, but she didn't say it hurt, in fact, it was the exact opposite. "I love it! Fuck me harder!" So he did. He fucked her so hard that she screamed for release. She even ended up squirting on him which she had no idea that she could even do such a thing. Grunting loudly, he stilled within her and unloaded his blanks into her. The greatest perk of being infertile was not having to use any protection.

After a moment, he pulled out and bent down to see her treasure. Placing his hands on her ass cheeks, he spread her to get a better view. She was absolutely gorgeous. His tongue darted out to catch the accumulation of their vigorous activity. Together they made quite this delicious cocktail. However, Heero could detect the trace amount of blood from her torn hymen. He licked her clean and again used two fingers to spread her inner folds. Her entrance looked different. Her swollen and reddened womanhood declared she no longer was a virgin. He kissed her entrance before exploring her newly shaped cavern with his tongue. She was still so tight but there was no more resistance where there used to be. He put his tongue in as far as he could, swirling and exploring every ripple within her that he could reach. God, he loved how they tasted. He wanted more but he had completely eaten her out. He had to make her come once more for him so he began his work, loving on that particular body part that her body quake and her lips part to cry out.

As his tongue flicked over her rosebud, she couldn't contain her scream. It felt so good. He was incredibly talented with that tongue of his. It didn't take him long to bring her to the brink of the abyss again. She screamed his name so loud that she was sure someone would have heard but she didn't care. Trying not to collapse she held fast to the chair as he continued to lap up her nectar. Just as she began to crumble, Heero caught her in his muscular arms and swept Relena off of her feet.

Smiling down at her, he gazed into lust-filled eyes and kissed her, giving her a little taste of herself. He carried her into the bathroom without looking where he was going. He had memorized the layout of the house as well as her blueprint. Carefully setting her on heated tile of the shower ledge, he steadied her so she could regain her balance. Once he was confident that she wasn't going to fall over, he turned on one of the shower heads furthest from them so they wouldn't be sprayed with cold water. He returned to kiss her while the water warmed up. Steam clouded the clear glass as he pulled Relena to her feet. Reaching out to the stream of water, he tested and determined that the temperature was perfect. He pulled her into a hug of sorts so he could wash her back with soap.

Relena let him wash her entire body and even shampoo and condition her long blonde hair. Heero loved to pamper his princess. His was dedicated to his mission… To her. He would serve her for all eternity. She returned his affection, massaging his body as she washed him. His entire body was marred with scars, some were large, jagged and discolored while others were thin lines barely noticeable unless you were as close to him as she was. Her fingers traced them as if she was trying to erase them and the pain that undoubted accompanied them. He had seen and experienced horrors that she could not fathom. And while he has sworn himself to protect her, she had also made a secret promise to do the same for him. He deserved a better life and she would try her best to give him one. A peaceful world in which he no longer had to fight. They weren't quite where she wanted them yet but peace had been achieved, thanks to him and the other Gundam pilots.

His voice growling her name brought her out of her thoughts. He nibbled on her earlobe while caressing her breasts. Her hand traveled down to his velvet covered steel to soap him up. Stroking him she washed the evidence of their love making off of him. All she wanted to do was take him into her mouth and love him like he had just loved her. She let the water cleanse them of the remaining soap before she knelt down and took his entire length into her mouth.

Looking down at her, his wet and wild hair dripped water onto her face and breasts. He smoothed her bangs and hair back for her. In the short time that they had been sexually active, she had become an expert in sucking him off. Like him, she too had a talented tongue. She teased his f-spot while she moved her hand up, down and around his shaft. Then she sucked on his head for a little bit before she brushed over his frenulum with her thumb. That sent him over the edge; he exploded into her mouth. He had never orgasmed so many times in one day so he was quite surprised at how much he had ejucaluated. Relena couldn't swallow fast enough, the hot white liquid drizzling out of the corners of her mouth onto her breasts. Once he had finished, she licked her lips and used a few fingers to scoop up some that had escaped. She brought them to his lips, his tongue came out to greet her delicate fingers. He took them into his mouth, licking and sucking them clean. Then he crushed his hunger lips against her. They made out beneath the waterfall in their shower, exploring each other's mouths and bodies. Hands roamed and tongues danced. There were so many new sensations to enjoy.

Finally they began to feel the effects of their strenuous activities. She was exhausted and just wanted to snuggle with him. Gazing up into his Prussian blue eyes, she smiled and whispered, "take me to bed."

"I will." He chastely kissed her. "But I need to do something first."

She cocked her head to the side. "Like what?"

"Well, the bedsheets need to be changed," he whispered in her ear.

She blushed and hid her face in the side of his neck. Chuckling, Heero kissed her forehead and turned off the water. He stepped out of the shower to retrieve some bath towels. When he returned, he had one secured around his waist. Water droplets still clung to his sculpted chest and shoulders. Relena shivered when he opened the glass door. Lovingly, he wrapped one around Relena and brought her into his chest as he rubbed her dry.

Once she felt warm enough, she padded into the bedroom to her vanity. Her hair was a tangled mess. She began working through the knots as Heero changed their bedclothes. Her eyes caught the sight of the blood stained sheets in the mirror. Yes, they had made quite the mess earlier. She was thankful that he was willing to do the dirty work. And if that wasn't enough, he retrieved some munchies from the kitchen - vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit for dessert along with some water. He really knew how to treat a girl like a princess. But then again she was a princess… his princess.

Noting she was still undressed, Heero offered her one of his shirts to wear to bed, which she readily accepted and threw on. She loved wearing one of his shirts, his distinct smell of gunpowder and metal always gave the pacifist a sense of peace. He smirked as he watched her wander back into the bathroom. The green t-shirt was way too big but she looked so cute in a comfy and cozy kind of way that made her irresistible. Pulled by an invisible string, he went to her and leaned against the doorway, content just watching her blow dry her beautiful hair. His fingers rubbed together, his mind replaying how soft those honey blonde strands felt when he tucked some behind her ear. When she finished, Heero held out his hand to her, beckoning Relena to come to him. She laid her hand in his and let a small wave of pleasure ripple through her at the simple touch. Looking down to their connected hands, she smiled thankful for the man who entered her life two, nearly three years ago. _Together we helped the world achieve peace and together we will build a life_, she thought as she allowed him to lead her to their bed.

Heero settled into the bed sitting up, lifting an arm to encompass Relena. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he brought her closer still as she snuggled into his chest, secure under his protective hold. He offered her some food that he procured earlier. He fed Relena the chocolate covered strawberries, which were her favorite while she spoon fed him his favorite homemade vanilla bean ice cream. They enjoyed the mixture of flavors as they kissed each other. It had been a perfect evening and neither of them wanted this moment to ever end.

Exhausted from a strenuous day and love making all night, they fell asleep in each other's sweet embrace. Like polar opposites, they were attracted to each other. They had both been missing a piece of themselves, but when they united as one, they completed one another. Brought together by destiny and forces unknown, the unlikely union between a princess from earth and a soldier from space brought peace not only to war-torn civilization but to themselves. Imperfectly… perfect for one another, they would forge a new future together.

**Author's Note:** *fans self* Is it hot in here or is it just me? Whew! What do you think of these two star crossed lovers and their first night together as one?

I chose Just Communication as the title for this chapter because of its symbolic meaning for the lack of communication between the two of them regarding Heero's infertility as well as the well known intro song to the series. I found the English lyrics to Just Communication on AnimeLyrics' website. The words are PERFECT! You can't tell me that the creators of Gundam Wing didn't intend this song to be for Heero and Relena. It fits all too well. Do me a favor and listen to Just Communication as you read the lyrics below. It's so, so good! And please be sure to support Gundam Wing and Two-Mix by purchasing the anime and song.

Just wild beat communication  
While being pounded by rain  
I want toom express this unfading passion  
with my entire body, tonight!

I held your  
damp shoulders to warm you.  
Your fingers tremble;  
what are they seeking?

Even if it's in broken speech,  
I want you to tell me your pain.  
Pretending that the pain's worn off  
doesn't make you an adult.

I want to protect that look in your eyes  
Believe in the love  
that can change sadness to strength.

Just wild beat communication  
Don't be afraid of anything.  
Because no one's going to take away  
our shared feelings of now.

Just wild beat communication  
While being pounded by rain  
I want to express this unfading passion  
with my entire body, tonight!

I want to spend the night  
nestled close to you until the faraway dawn.  
We can lose everything else,  
as long as we don't lose tenderness.

Through kisses, more than words,  
we feel each other's heartbeats,  
drawing passion near;  
momentary, yet eternal…

I want to gaze at you, painfully, intensely.  
You're so precious to me  
it almost brings me to tears.

Just wild beat communication  
Don't surrender anything,  
because when you have someone who understands you,  
you can fight on.

Just wild beat communication  
Don't let go of love  
Unleash all of the complexities of your heart, and show me  
your true self, overflowing and passionate, tonight!

[Spoken]  
(Red Alert! Red Alert!)

[Spoken]  
(Red Alert! Red Alert!)

Just wild beat communication  
Don't be afraid of anything.  
Because no one's going to take away our shared feelings of now.

Just wild beat communication  
While being pounded by rain  
I want to express this unfading passion with my entire body, tonight!


End file.
